The Qur'an
With Surah Introductions and Appendices
Saheeh International Translation
The Qur'an
With Surah Introductions and Appendices
Saheeh International Translation
Edited by
A.B. al-Mehri
The Qur'an Project
www.quranproject.org
Published by
Maktabah Booksellers and Publishers
PO BOX 13976
Birmingham
Bll 9DQ
United Kingdom
www.maktabah.net
www.quranproject.org
Cover Design: H. Jundi
No rights reserved. Any part of this publication may be reproduced in any language, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electrical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise without the express permission of the Publisher, as long as no changes are made to the materi-
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book in other languages.
British Ubrary Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A Catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
2010 Maktabah Booksellers and Publishers
Saheeh International Translation
ISBN 978-0-9548665-4-9
CONTENTS PAGE
Introduction .....
Editor's Preface ....
Short Biography of Prophet Muhammad
The Qur'an:
5
7
11
Surah 1 : al-Fatihah (The Opening) .
28
Surah 2: al-Baqarah (The Cow)
30
Surah 3: Ale-'Imran (Family of Imran)
59
Surah 4: an-Nisa' (The Women)
77
Surah 5: al-Ma'idah (The Table)
96
Surah 6: al-An'am (The Gra2ing Livesotck)
110
Surah 7: al-A'raf (The Elevations)
126
Surah 8: al-Anfal (The Spoils of War)
143
Surah 9: at-Tawbah (Repentance)
154
Surah 10: Yunus (Jonah)
170
Smah 11: Had (Hud) .
180
Sarah 12: Yasuf (Joseph)
190
Sarah 13: ar-Ra'd (Thunder) .
200
Sarah 14: Ibraheem (Abraham)
205
Sarah 15: al-Hijr (The Valley of Stone)
210
Sarah 16: an-Nahl (The Bee) .
216
Sarah 17: al-Isra' (The Night Journey)
226
Surah 18: al-Kahf (The Cave) .
235
Sarah 19: Maryam (Maty)
244
Sarah 20: Ta Ha (Ta Ha)
252
Sarah 21: al-Anbiya' (The Prophets) .
262
Sarah 22: al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)
270
Sarah 23: al-Mu'minan (The Believers)
278
Sarah 24: an-Nar (Light)
285
Sarah 25: al-Furqan (The Criterion) .
297
Sarah 26: ash-Shu'ara' (The Poets) .
303
Sarah 27: an-Naml (The Ants)
314
Sarah 28: al-Qasas (The Story)
321
Sarah 29: al-'Ankabut (The Spider) .
330
Sarah 30: ar-Ram (The Romans)
336
Sarah 31: Luqman (Luqman) .
343
Sarah 32: as-Sajdah (Prostration)
347
Sarah 33: al-Ahzab (The Confederates)
350
Sarah 34: Saba' (The People of) Saba)
364
Sarah 35: Fatir (The Creator) .
370
Sarah 36: Ya Seen (Ya Seen) .
375
Surah 37: as-Saffit (Those Lined Up).
381
Surah 38: Sad (Sad) ......
389
Surah 39: a2-Zumar (The Groups) ....
396
Surah 40: Ghafir (The Forgiver) ....
403
Surah 41: Fussilat (Presented In Detail)
410
Surah 42: ash-Shura (Consultation) ....
417
Surah 43: a2-Zukhruf (Ornaments) ....
425
Surah 44: ad-Dukhan (Smoke). ....
432
Surah 45: al-Jathiyah (Kneeling) ....
437
Surah 46: al-Ahqaf (The Sand Dunes)
442
Surah 47: Muhammad (Muhammad) ....
447
Surah 48: al-Fath (The Conquest) ....
452
Surah 49: al-Hujurat (The Chambers)
460
Stirah 50: Qaf (Qaf)
463
Surah 51: adh-Dhariyat (The Scattering Winds)
467
Surah 52: at-Tur (The Mount). ....
471
Surah 53: an-Najm (The Star) .....
475
Surah 54: al-Qamar (The Moon) ....
481
Surah 55: ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful) .
485
Surah 56: al-Wiqi'ah (The Occurrence)
489
Surah 57: al-Hadeed (Iron) .....
495
Surah 58: al-Mujadilah (The Contention)
500
Surah 59: al-Hashr (The Gathering) ....
505
Surah 60: al-Mumtahinah (The Woman Examined)
514
Surah 61: as-Saff (Batde Formation) ....
517
Surah 62: al-Jumu'ah (Friday) .....
519
Surah 63: al-Munafiqun (The Hypocrites) .
522
Surah 64: at-Taghabun (Deprivation)
527
Surah 65: at-Talaq (Divorce) .....
531
Surah 66: at-Tahreem (Prohibition) ....
535
Surah 67: al-Mulk (Dominion). ....
539
Surah 68: al-Qalam (The Pen). ....
543
Surah 69: al-Haqqah (The Manifest Reality).
547
Surah 70: al-Ma'arij (The Ways of Ascent) .
550
Surah 71: Nuh (Noah)
553
Surah 72: al-Jinn (The Jinn) .....
556
Surah 73: al-Mu22ammil (The Enwrapped One) .
561
Surah 74: al-Muddathir (The Cloaked One) .
565
Surah 75: al-Qiyamah (The Resurrection) .
570
Surah 76: al-Insan (Man) .....
573
Surah 77: al-Mursalat (Those Sent Forth) .
577
Surah 78: an-Naba' (The News) ....
581
Surah 79: an-Na2i'at (The Extractors)
585
Surah 80: 'Abasa (He Frowned) ....
589
Surah 81: at-Takweer (The Wrapping)
Surah 82: al-Infitar (The Breaking Apart)
Surah 83: al-Mutaffifeen (Those Who Give Less)
Surah 84: al-Inshiqaq (The Splitting) .
Surah 85: al-Buruj (The Great Stars) .
Surah 86: at-Tariq (That Which Comes At Night)
Sarah 87: al-A'la (The Most High) .
Surah 88: al-Ghashiyah (The Overwhelming)
Surah 89: al-Fajr (The Dawn) .
Surah 90: al-Balad (The City) .
Surah 91: ash-Shams (The Sun)
Surah 92: al-Layl (The Night) .
Surah 93: adh-Dhuha (The Morning Brightness)
Surah 94: ash-Sharh (Expansion)
Surah 95: at-Teen (The Fig) .
Surah 96: al-'Alaq (The Clinging Substance)
Surah 97: al-Qadr (The Decree)
Surah 98: al-Bayyinah (Clear Evidence)
Surah 99: a2-Zalzalah (The Earthquake)
Surah 100: al-Aadiyat (The Racers) .
Surah 101: al-Qari'ah (The Calamity)
Surah 102: at-Takathur (Competition in Increase)
Surah 103: al-Asr (Time)
Surah 104: al-Humazah (The Scorner)
Surah 105: al-Fil (The Elephant)
Surah 106: al-Quraysh ((the tribe of) Quraysh)
Surah 107: al-Ma'un (Assistance)
Surah 108: al-Kawthar (Abundance) .
Surah 109: al-Kafirun (The Disbelievers)
Surah 110: an-Nasr (Victory) .
Surah 111: al-Masad (Fiber) .
Surah 112: al-Ikhlas (Purification)
Surah 113: al-Falaq (Daybreak)
Surah 114: an-Nas (Mankind) .
593
596
598
601
603
605
607
610
612
615
617
619
621
623
625
627
630
632
634
636
638
640
642
644
646
651
654
656
659
662
665
669
672
672
Appendices:
Introduction to the Study of the Qur'an.
The Unique Qur'anic Generation ....
Preservation and Literary Challenge of the Qur'an .
Scientific Miracles of the Qur'an; .....
The Qur'an on the Origin of the Universe ....
The Qur'an on the 'Big Bang Theory' ....
The Qur'an on the Expanding Universe ....
The Qur'an on the Orbital Movement of the Sun and the Moon
The Qur'an on Duality in Creation .....
The Qur'an on the Origin of Life in Water ....
The Qur'an on Seas and Rivers .....
Mracle of Iron ........
The Qur'an on Mountains ......
The Qur'an on Human Embryonic Development.
Scientists Acceptance of the Miracles of the Qur'an
Miracles Performed ......
Old and New Testament Prophecies of Muhammad.
Women in Islam ....
How do I become a Muslim?
Short Guide to Ablution and Prayer
Frequently Asked Questions about Islam
Brief Index of the Qur'an
679
690
695
706
706
707
708
709
709
712
712
715
717
719
726
729
. 733
. 742
. 749
. 752
. 756
. 766
Introduction
The Qur'an is the word of the Ever-living God; it has been sent down to guide humanity for
all times to come. No book can be like it. As you come to the Qur'an, God speaks to you.
To read the Qur'an is to hear Him, converse with Him and to walk in His ways. It is the en-
counter of life with the Life -giver. 'God - there is no diety except Him, the Ever-living,
the Sustainer of existence. He has sent down upon you the Book with in Truth ... as a
guidance for the people ...' (Qur'an 3: 2-3).
For those who heard it for the first time from the lips of the Prophet, the Qur'an was a liv-
ing reality. They had absolutely no doubt that, through him, God was speaking to them.
Their hearts and minds were therefore seized by it. Their eyes overflowed with tears and
their bodies shivered. They found each word of it deeply relevant to their concerns and ex-
periences, and integrated it fully into their lives. They were completely transformed by it
both as individuals and as a nation - into a totally new, alive and life-giving entity. Those who
grazed sheep, herded camels and traded petty merchandise became the leaders of mankind.
New World
As we come to the Qur'an, we come to a new world. Each Ayat [verse] is a sign of God -
informing us of His infinite mercy, power and knowledge. No other venture in our lives can
be so momentous and crucial, so blissful and rewarding, as our journey to and through the
Qur'an. It is a journey that will take us through the endless joys and riches of the words that
our Creator and Lord has sent to us and all mankind. Here we will find a world of untold
treasures of knowledge and wisdom to guide us on the pathways of life, to mould our
thoughts and actions. In it we will find deep insights to enrich us and steer us along the right
course. From it you will receive a radiant light to illumine the deeper reaches of our soul.
Here we will encounter profound emotions, a warmth to melt our hearts and bring tears
running down our cheeks.
It is beyond man's power to comprehend, or to describe, the greatness and importance of
what the Qur'an holds for him. It is God's greatest blessing for him. It is the fulfillment of
His promise to Adam and his descendants: "when guidance comes to you from Me,
whoever follows My guidance - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they
grieve...' (2: 38). It is the only weapon to help our frail existence as we struggle against the
forces of evil and temptation in this world. It is the only means to overpower our fears and
anxieties. It is the only 'light' {nut), as we grope in the darkness, with which to find our way
to success and salvation. It is the only healing (shifa) for our inner sicknesses, as well as the
social ills that may surround us. Its the constant reminder (dhikr) of our true nature and des-
tiny, of our station, our duties, our rewards and our perils.
God - the Greatest
The Qur'an was brought down by the one who is powerful and trustworthy in the heavens —
the angel Gabriel. Its first abode was the pure and sublime heart, the like of which no man
has never had - the heart of the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace be on him. More
than anything, it is the only way to come nearer and closer to our Creator. It tells us of Him,
of His attributes, of how He rules over the cosmos and history, of how He relates Himself
to us, and how we should relate to Him and to ourselves.
Most important is to remember is that what we read in the Qur'an is the word of God which
He has conveyed to us in a human language, only because of His mercy and care and provi-
dence for us. 'The Most-merciful, He has taught the Qur'an' (55: 1-2). 'A mercy from
your Lord' (44: 6). The majesty of the Qur'an, too, is so overpowering that no human being
can truly comprehend it. So much so as God says, 'If We had sent down this Qur'an
upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of
God.' (59: 21). This act of Divine mercy and majesty is enough to awe and overwhelm us, to
inspire us to ever-greater heights of gratitude, yearning and endeavour to enter the world of
the Qur'an. Indeed, no treasure is more valuable and precious for us than the Qur'an, as
God says of His generosity, 'O mankind, there has to come to you instruction from
your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the be-
lievers.' (10:57).
The outcome of our entire life depends on how we heed the call given by God. The journey
is therefore decisive for our existence, for mankind, for the future of human civilization. A
hundred new worlds lie in its verses. Whole centuries are involved in its moments. Know, in
that case that it is the Qur'an, and only the Qur'an, which can lead us towards success and
glory in this-world and in the world-to-come.
We finish by citing a poem;
'My mind ponders and contemplates,
Dwelling on the reality of life,
Yet nothing is as scary as the Realness of the Ever-Living.
His closeness,
His knowledge of my inner self,
The insides tremble and frighten at this reality,
I awake,
Sometimes,
I hear nothing except my heart beating,
Beat after beat it beats,
One thought is flowing in my mind,
All that my mind and body desire at this moment,
Is to stand,
To stand before Him.
This feeling I wouldn't exchange for the world,
To fall prostrate and praise Him, tell Him I love Him and am longing to meet Him.
Life is a journey with many intended ambitions -
Yet mine is simple to meet my Lord when I am closest to Him.'
Editor's Preface
In early 2007, a friend visited me at my home in Birmingham, UK. He was visually emotional
and asked if I could give him a translation of the Qur'an in English. He explained that he had a
non-Muslim work colleague who had been enthralled by the Qur'an and that he, as a Muslim,
felt ashamed he had not read it. So I gave him a spare translation I had and began to tell him
some basic facts he should know as a seeker of truth —
The Qur'an is a unique book for a multitude of reasons. To name a few:
• It does not read in chronological order of revelation —
- i.e. the first verse you read from Surah 1 is not that first verse revealed
- nor the last verse from Surah 114 the very last verse of the Qur'an.
• The Qur'an was revealed over 23 years to the Prophet Muhammad —
Sometimes a few Ayats at a time — (the first revelation began with five
ay at, then seven, etc)
and at other times, Surahs (chapters) were revealed as a whole.
(An Ayat is normally translated as 'a verse' - a more accurate linguistic
translation would be 'Sign' [of God])
• The Archangel Gabriel, under instruction from God, informed the Prophet to ar-
range the various Ayats into Surahs.
• These Surah's (chapters) can be divided into two types -
those revealed before the migration of the Muslim community — The
Makkan Period
and those revealed after the migration — The Madinan period.
These Surahs would often include Ayats from both time periods
• The significance of the two periods —
in Makkah the call to one God was new. The Believers were opposed,
beaten and oppressed by the Makkans who were the main proponents of
idol-worship in Arabia. The revelations in Makkah were regarding the
Oneness of God, Paradise and Hellfire, the Day of Judgment etc. This was
a period of many trials and tribulations for the Prophet Muhammad and
the Believers.
in Madinah the Prophet was the leader of the Islamic state. The revela-
tions here centered on establishing the religion, engaging the enemies of
God, social and legal rulings on marriage, divorce, inheritance, punish-
ment, etc.
The challenges of both periods were different and the various Ayats reflect
this.
After explaining the importance of knowing the biography of the Prophet in order to deepen
one's understanding of the Qur'an, I began explaining how ama2ingly, the Qur'an has been pre-
served word for word in written and oral form for over fourteen hundred years — a feat un-
matched by any other book, including the Old and New Testament. I then went on to mention
the many scientific miracles contained in the Qur'an and also the prophecies in the Bible about
the Prophet Muhammad. All this information I was relaying to my friend was scattered over
many books and not contained in a single publication that I could give him. It was at this stage
it became evident to me that there was a need to publish a translation of the Qur'an which
would give its reader a complete and informed introduction to the miraculous book. And so,
The Qur'an Project was born.
Work then began by first selecting the Saheeh International translation of the Qur'an as the
translation we would use in our print - it is in simple English and corresponds well to the sen-
tence structure of the Arabic. There were two changes that were made to this translation — the
word 'Allah' was replaced with 'God' and 'Bismillah ir Rahman nir Raheem' (at the beginning
of the Surahs) was replaced by 'In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Mer-
ciful.'
It was then decided to use M. Mawdudi's Surah introductions from his commentary of the
Qur'an, 'Towards Understanding the Qur'an' (available online — www.quranproject.org). These
have been edited and abridged to include the most relevant information for a beginner. The
following chapters were then selected to also be included:
Short Biography of the Prophet Muhammad
Introduction to the Study of the Qur'an
The Unique Qur'anic Generation
Preservation and Literary Challenge of the Qur'an
Scientific Miracles of the Qur'an;
The Qur'an on the Origin of the Universe
The Qur'an on the 'Big Bang Theory'
The Qur'an on the Expanding Universe
The Qur'an on the Orbital Movement of the Sun and the Moon
The Qur'an on Duality in Creation
The Qur'an on the Origin of Life in Water
The Qur'an on Seas and Rivers
Mracle of Iron
The Qur'an on Mountains
The Qur'an on Human Embryonic Development
Scientists Acceptance of the Miracles of the Qur'an
Mracles Performed
Old and New Testament Prophecy of Muhammad
Women in Islam
How do I become a Muslim?
Quick Guide to Ablution and Prayer
Frequently Asked Questions about Islam - Short Answers -
8
www. quranpro j ect . org
The website www.quranproject.org was setup to accompany the publication. Here readers
would be able to read it all online, download it, order their free copy, and go through the many
additional sections including free online library, audio and video etc.
Final Note
Many of those involved have been completely humbled by the opportunity given to them by
God to partake in this project. All praise and thanks are for Him and Him alone, the Lord of
the Worlds. Often God uses diverse and numerous people for His work and this endeavor has
been no different. So many people have offered their time, help and services to this project and
are too many to mention here. God knows every single one of them and we ask Him to accept
this deed from us and make it as a means of achieving His love, mercy and ultimately Paradise -
(ameen) .
All that is good and correct in this publication, and anyone who is subsequendy guided, this is
from God and a mercy from Him. Any mistakes and errors are from ourselves and we ask the
forgiveness of God for them.
'O God, Creator of the heavens and the earth — Accept this deed from us and forgive for us for
any shortcomings. Enter us and our families into the highest levels of Paradise and protect us
from being touched by the Fire even for a moment. Our prayers, sacrifices, lives and death are
all for You. Bless us with Your Love, the love of whom You Love and the love of deeds which
bring us closer to Your Love. O God, have mercy on us through the Qur'an and make it for us
a Light, Mercy and Guidance - Make the last part of our lives its best, the last deed the best
one, and the best day of our lives the Day we meet You.' [ameen]
A.B. al-Mehri
Rabi' al-Awwal, 1431 AH
February, 2010
Birmingham, United Kingdom.
10
Short Biography of Prophet Muhammad
The Prophet's Birth
Muhammad, son of Abdullah, son of Abdul Muttalib, of the tribe of Quraysh, was born
in Makkah in the year 571 A.D. His father died before he was born, and he was protected
first by his grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, and after his grandfather's death, by his uncle
Abu Talib.
As a young boy he traveled with his uncle in the merchants' caravan to Syria, and some
years later made the same journey in the service of a wealthy widow named Khadijah. So
faithfully he conducted her business, and so excellent was the report of his behaviour,
which she received from her old servant who had accompanied him, that she soon after-
wards married her young agent; and the marriage proved a very happy one, though she
was fifteen years older than he was. Throughout the twenty-six years of their life together
he remained devoted to her; and after her death, when he took other wives he always
mentioned her with the greatest love and reverence. This marriage gave him rank among
the notables of Makkah, while his conduct earned for him the title al-Amin, the "trust-
worthy."
Physical Description
One of the most comprehensive and detailed descriptions we have of the Prophet Mu-
hammad came from a Bedouin woman who would take care of travelers who passed by
her tent. The Prophet once stopped by her with his companions for food and rest. The
Prophet asked her if they could buy some meat or dates from her but she could not find
anything. The Prophet looked towards a sheep next to the tent. He asked her, "What is
wrong with this sheep?" She replied, "The sheep is fatigued and is weaker than the other
sheep." The Prophet asked, "Does it milk?" She replied, "I swear by your mother and fa-
ther, if I saw milk from it then I would milk it." He then called the sheep and moved his
hand over its udder; he pronounced the name of God and praised Him. Then he called
the woman when the sheep steadied its feet and its udder filled. He asked for a large con-
tainer and milked it until it was filled. The woman drank until full as did his companions.
Then it was milked for a second time until the container was full and they left her and
continued on their journey. After a short while, the husband of the Bedouin woman re-
turned from herding goats. He saw the milk and said to his wife, "Where did you get this
milk from?" She replied, "I swear by God, a blessed man came to us today" He said,
"Describe him to me."
She began; "I saw him to be a man of evident splendor. Fine in figure. His face hand-
some. Slim in form. His head not too small, elegant and good looking. His eyes large and
black [and] his eye lids long. His voice deep. Very intelligent. His brows high and arched
[and] his hair in plaits. His neck long and his beard thick. He gave an impression of digni-
ty when silent and of high intelligence when he talked. His words were impressive and his
speech decisive, not trivial nor trite. His ideas like pearls moving on their string. He
seemed the most splendid and fine looking man from a distance and the very best of all
from close by. Medium in height, the eye not finding him too tall nor too short. A tree
branch as it were between two others but he was the finest looking of the three. The best
11
proportioned. His companions would surround him, when he spoke they would listen at-
tentively to his speech.
The First Revelation
The Makkans claimed descent from Abraham through Ishmail and tradition stated that
their temple, the Ka'bah, had been built by Abraham for the worship of the One God. It
was still called the House of God, but the chief objects of worship here were a number of
idols, which were called "daughters" of God and intercessors.
It was the practice of the Prophet to retire often to a cave in the desert for meditation.
His place of retreat was Hira, a cave in a mountain called the Mountain of Light not far
from Makkah, and his chosen month was Ramadan, the month of heat. It was there one
night towards the end of this quiet month that the first revelation came to him when he
was forty years old.
He heard a voice say: "Read!" He said: "I cannot read." The voice again said: "Read!" He
said: "I cannot read." A third time the voice, more terrible, commanded: "Read!" He said:
"What can I read?" The voice said:
"Recite in the name of your Lord who created
Created man from a clinging substance.
Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous —
Who taught by the pen —
Taught man that which he knew not."
The Vision of Cave Hira
He went out of the cave on to the hillside and heard the same awe-inspiring voice say: "O
Muhammad! Thou art God's messenger, and I am Gabriel." Then he raised his eyes and
saw the angel standing in the sky above the horizon. And again the voice said: "O Mu-
hammad! Thou art God's messenger, and I am Gabriel." Muhammad stood quite still,
turning away his face from the brightness of the vision, but wherever he turned his face,
there stood the angel confronting him. He remained thus a long while till at length the
angel vanished, when he returned in great distress of mind to his wife Khadijah. She did
her best to reassure him, saying that his conduct had been such that God would not let a
harmful spirit come to him and that it was her hope that he was to become the Prophet
of his people. On his return to Makkah she took him to her cousin Waraqa ibn Nawfal, a
very old man, "who knew the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians," who declared his
belief that the heavenly messenger who came to Moses of old had come to Muhammad,
and that he was chosen as the Prophet of his people.
12
Message of Islam
Most of the people of Makkah who had acclaimed him as the trustworthy (al-Amin) and
the trustful (as-Sadiq) could not bring themselves to believe in him. Nor could most of
the Jews and Christians who had for so long been living in expectation of his arrival. Not
that they doubted his truthfulness or integrity but they were not prepared to turn their
whole established way of living upside down by submitting to his simple but radical mes-
sage. He would tell them;
When I recite the Qur'an, I find the following clear instruction: God is He who
has created you, and the heavens and the earth, He is your only Lord and Master.
He is your only Lord and Master. Surrender your being and your lives totally to
Him Alone, and worship and serve no one but Him. Let God be the Only God.
The words I speak, He places in my mouth, and I speak on His authority, Obey
me and forsake all false claimants to human obedience. Everything in the heavens
and on earth belongs to God; no person has a right to be master of another per-
son, to spread oppression and corruption on earth. An eternal life beyond awaits
you; where you will meet God face to face, and your life will be judged; for that
you must prepare.
This simple message shook the very foundations of Makkan society as well as the se-
venth-century world. That world, as today, lived under the yoke of many false gods, kings
and emperors, priests and monks, feudal lords and rich businessmen, soothsayers and
spell-binders who claimed to know what others knew not, and who all lorded over hu-
man being.
The Prophet's message challenged them all, exposed them all and threatened them all.
His immediate opponents in Makkah could do no better than brand him unconvincingly
as a liar, a poet, soothsayer and a man possessed. But how could he who was illiterate, he
who had never composed a single verse, who has shown no inclination to lead people,
suddenly have words flowing from his lips so full of wisdom and light, morally so uplift-
ing, specifically so enlivening, so beautiful and powerful, that they began to change the
hearts and minds and lives of the hearer? His detractors and opponents had no answer.
When challenged to produce anything even remotely similar to the words Muhammad
claimed he was receiving from God, they could not match God's words.
Stages of The Call
First privately, then publicly, the Prophet continued to proclaim his message. He himself
had an intense, living relationship with God, totally committed to the message and mis-
sion entrusted to him. Slowly and gradually, people came forward and embraced Islam.
They came from all walks of life - chiefs and slaves, businessmen and artisans, men and
women — most of them young. Some simply heard the Qur'an, and that was enough to
transform them. Some saw the Prophet, and were immediately captivated by the light of
mercy, generosity and humanity that was visible in his manner and morals, in his words
and works and also in his face.
13
The opposition continued to harden and sharpen. It grew furious and ferocious. Those
who joined the Prophet were tortured in innumerable ways; they were mocked, abused,
beaten flogged, imprisoned and boycotted. Some were subjected to severe inhuman tor-
tures; made to lie on burning coal fires until the melting body fat extinguished them, or
were dragged over burning sand and rocks. Yet such was the strength of their faith that
none of them gave it up in the face of such trials and tribulation.
The Flight to Abyssinia
However, as the persecutions became unbearable, the Prophet advised those who could,
to migrate to Abyssinia. It turned out that there, the Christian king gave the Muslims full
protection despite the pleading of the emissaries sent by the Quraysh chiefs. This was the
first emigration of Islam.
In the meantime, the Prophet and his Companions continued to nourish their souls and
intellect and strengthen their character and resolve for the great task that lay ahead. They
met regularly, especially at a house near the Ka'bah called Dar al-Arqam, to read and
study the Qur'an, to worship and pray and to forge the tied of brotherhood.
In Makkah
Years passed and the people of Makkah would not give their allegiance to the Prophet's
message nor showed any sign of any easing in their persecution. At the same time, the
Prophet lost his closest companion, his wife Khadljah, as well as his uncle Abu Talib, his
chief protector in the tribal world of Makkah. The Prophet now decided to carry his
message to the people of the nearby town of Ta'if known for its wealth. In Ta'if, too, the
tribal leaders mocked and ridiculed him and rejected his message. They also stirred up
their slaves and youth to insult him, mock him and pelt stones at him. Thus he was
stoned until he bled and was driven out of Ta'if, and when God placed at his command
the Angel of Mountains to crush the Valley of Ta'if if he so wished, he only prayed for
them to be guided. Such was the mercy and compassion of the one who is the 'mercy for
all the worlds.'
This year is known by historians as the Y^ear of Sorrow' due to the grief which the
Prophet suffered as a result of all these worldy setbacks. However, as the Qur'an states
that after hardship there is ease, the Prophet was to be blessed with an ama2ing journey
culminating with a meeting with Almighty God himself.
One night the Prophet was awaken and taken, in the company of the Angel Gabriel, first
to Jerusalem. There he was met by all the Prophets, who gathered together behind him as
he prayed on the Rock at the centre of the site of Masjid Aqsa, the spot where the Dome
of the Rock stands today. From the Rock, led by the Archangel, he ascended through the
seven heavens and beyond. Thus he saw whatever God made him see, the heavenly
worlds which no human eye can see, and which were the focus of this message and mis-
sion. It was also during this journey God ordained on the believers the five daily prayers.
14
Joy After Sorrow
In quick succession, the Prophet had suffered the terrible loss of Khadljah, his intimate
and beloved companion for 25 years, and of Abu Talib, his guardian and protector
against the bloodthirsty Makkan foes, and encountered the worst ever rejection, humilia-
tion and persecution at nearby Ta'if. As the Prophet reached the lowest point in his voca-
tion, God bought him comfort and solace. On the one hand, spiritually, He took him
during the Night of Ascension to the Highest of Highs, realities and Divinities, face to
face with the Unseen. And on the other, materially, he opened the hearts of the people of
Yathrib to the message and mission of Prophet Muhammad.
The message that Makkah and Ta'if rejected, found responsive hearts in Yathrib, a small
oasis about four hundred kilometres to the north of Makkah. Now known as Madinah
tunnabi (the city of the Prophet), or Madlnatun Munawwarah (the radiant city), it was
destined to be the centre of the Divine light that was to spread to all parts of the world
for all time to come.
The Men of Yathrib
Soon after Prophet Muhammad's return from Ta'if and the Night Journey, at the time of
the pilgrimage, six men from Yathrib embraced Islam. They delivered the message of
Islam to as many as they could, and at the time of the next pilgrimage in the year 621 CE,
12 people came. They pledged themselves to the Prophet, that they would make no god
besides God, that they would neither steal nor commit fornication, nor slay their infants,
nor utter slanders, nor disobey him in that which is right. The Prophet said; 'If you fulfil
this pledge, then Paradise is yours.' This time the Prophet sent Mus'ab ibn 'Umayr with
them to teach them the Qur'an and Islam and to spread the message of Islam.
More and more people over the course of a year - tribal leaders, men and women - be-
came Muslims. At the time of the next pilgrimage, they decided to send a delegation to
the Prophet, make a pledge to him, and invited him and all Muslims in Makkah to Yathrib
as a sanctuary and as a base for spearding the Divine message of Islam. In all, 73 men and
two women came. They met the Prophet at Aqabah. They pledged to protect the Prophet
as they would protect their own women and children, and to fight against all men, red
and black, even if their nobles were killed and they suffered the loss of all their posses-
sions. When asked what would be their return if they fulfilled their pledge, the Prophet
said; 'Paradise.' Thus the beginning was made, the foundations of the Islamic society,
state and civilization were set.
The road was now open for the persecuted and tortured followers of the Prophet to
come to the Land of Islam, that was to be Madinah. Gradually most of the believers
found their way to Yathrib. Their Makkan foes could not bear to see the Muslims living
in peace. They knew the power of the Prophet's message, they knew the strength of those
dedicated believers who cared about nothing for the age-old Arab customs and ties of
kinship, and who if they had to, would fight for their faith. The Makkans sensed the dan-
ger that the Muslims' presence in Madinah posed for their northern trade caravan routes.
They saw no other way to stop all this but to kill the Prophet.
15
Plot to Murder the Prophet
Hence they hatched a conspiracy; one strong and well-connected young man was to be
nominated by each clan, and all of them were to pounce upon and kill the Prophet one
morning as he came out of his house, so that his blood would be on all the clans' hands.
Thus, the Prophets' clan would have to accept blood money in place of revenge. In-
formed of the plot by the Angel Gabriel, and instructed to leave Makkah for Madinah,
the Prophet went to Abu Bakr's house to finalise the travel arrangements. Abu Bakr was
overjoyed at having been chosen for the honour and blessing of being the Prophet's
companion on this blessed, momentous, sacred and epoch-making journey. He offered
his she-camel to the Prophet, but the Prophet insisted on paying its price.
On the fateful night, as darkness fell, the youths selected by the Quraysh leaders to kill
the Prophet surrounded his house. They decided to pounce on him when he came out of
his house for the dawn prayer. Meanwhile, the Prophet handed over all the money left by
the Makkans with him for safe-keeping to Ali. Ali offered to lie in the Prophet's bed. The
Prophet slipped out of his house, threw a litde dust in their direction, and walked past his
enemies, whose eyes were still on the house. He met Abu Bakr at his house, and they
both travelled to a nearby cave. When the Quraysh realised that the Prophet had evaded
them, they were furious. They looked for him everywhere to no success and then an-
nounced a reward of 100 she-camels for anybody who would bring them the Prophet,
dead or alive. A tribal chief, Suraqah, sighted the Prophet and followed him, hoping to
earn the reward. The Prophet, with bloodthirsty foes in pursuit and an uncertain future
ahead of him in Madinah, told Suraqah; A day will soon come when Kisra's golden brace-
lets will be in Suraqah's hands. Thereafter, Suraqah retreated, and the Prophet proceeded
towards Madinah.
Four stages of the Prophets life in Makkah
The Makkan period can be summarized in four stages:
1. The first stage began with his appointment as a Messenger and ended with the
proclamation of Prophethood three years later. During this period the Message
was given secretly to some selected persons only but the common people of Mak-
kah were not aware of it.
2. The second stage lasted for two years after the proclamation of his Prophethood.
It began with opposition by individuals: then by and by it took the shape of anta-
gonism, ridicule, derision, accusation, abuse and false propaganda then gangs were
formed to persecute those Muslims who were comparatively poor, weak and help-
less.
3. The third stage lasted for about six years from the beginning of the persecution to
the death of Abu Talib and Khadijah in the tenth year of Prophethood. During
this period the persecution of the Muslims became so savage and brutal that many
of them were forced to migrate to Abyssinia while social and economic boycott
was applied against the remaining Believers.
4. The fourth stage lasted for about three years from the tenth to the thirteenth year
of Prophethood. This was a period of hard trials and grievous sufferings for the
Prophet and his followers. Life had become unendurable at Makkah and there ap-
16
peared to be no place of refuge even outside it. So much so that when the Prophet
went to Ta'if, it offered no shelter or protection. Besides this, on the occasion of
Hajj, he would appeal to each and every Arab clan to accept his invitation to Islam
but was met with blank refusal from every quarter. At the same time, the people
of Makkah were holding counsels to get rid of him by killing or imprisoning or
banishing him from their city. It was at that most critical time that God opened
for Islam the hearts of the People of Yathrib where he migrated at their invitation.
The Hijrah (622 C.E.)
This was al-Hijrah, the emigration — a small distance in space, a mighty leap in history, an
event that was to become a threshold in the shaping of the Islamic Ummah. This is why
the Muslims date their calendar from Hijrah (emigration) and not from start of revelation
or from the birth of the Prophet.
In Qubah, 10 kilometres outside Madinah, the Prophet made his first stopover. Here he
built the first Masjid. Here he also made his first public address; 'Spread peace among
yourselves, give away food to the needy, pray while people sleep — and you will enter Pa-
radise, the house of peace.'
Three days later, the Prophet entered Madinah. Men, women, children, the entire popu-
lace came out on the streets and jubilandy welcomed him. Never was there a day of grater
rejoicing and happiness. 'The Prophet has come! The Prophet has come!' sang the little
children.
The first thing the Prophet did after arriving in Madinah was to weld the Muhajirs or
Emigrants and the hosts, called the Ansar or Helpers into one brotherhood. Still today
this brotherhood remains the hallmark of the Muslims. One person from the Emigrants
was made the brother of one from among the Helpers — creating a bond stronger than
blood. The Helpers offered to share equally all that they possessed with their new broth-
ers.
Brotherhood
So, the Muslims were forged into a close-knit community of faith and brotherhood, and
the structure of their society was being built. The first structure was also raised. This was
the Masjid, the building dedicated to the worship of One God - called Masjid al-Nabi,
the Prophet's Masjid. Since then the Masjid has also remained the hallmark of the Mus-
lims' collective and social life, the convenient space for the integration of the religious
and political dimension of Islam, a source of identification, a witness to Muslim existence.
At the same time, steps were taken and required institutions built to integrate the entire
social life around the centre and pivot of the worship of One God. For this purpose, five
daily prayers in congregation were established. Ramadhan, fasting every day from dawn to
sunset for an entire month, was also prescribed. Similarly, to establish 'giving' as the way
of life, Zakah, a percentage of one's wealth to be given in the way of God, was made ob-
ligator)'.
17
The Jews and Hypocrites
In the first year of his reign at Yathrib the Prophet made a solemn treaty with the Jewish
tribes, which secured to them rights of citi2enship and full religious liberty in return for
their support of the new state. But their idea of a Prophet was one who would give them
dominion, not one who made the Jews who followed him, brothers of every Arab who
might happen to believe as they did. When they realised that they could not use the
Prophet for their own ends, they tried to shake his faith and his Mission and to seduce his
followers, behaviour in which they were encouraged secredy by some professing Muslims
who considered they had reason to resent the Prophet's coming, since it robbed them of
their local influence. In the Madinan Surahs there is frequent mention of these Jews and
Hypocrites.
The First Expeditions
The Prophet's first concern as ruler was to establish public worship and lay down the
constitution of the State: but he did not forget that Quraysh had sworn to make an end to
his religion, nor that he had received command to fight against them till they ceased from
persecution. After twelve months in Yathrib several small expeditions went out, led either
by the Prophet himself or other migrants for the purpose of reconnoitering and of dis-
suading other tribes from siding with Quraysh. One of the other purposes of those expe-
ditions may have been to accustom the Makkan Muslims to engage with enemy forces.
For thirteen years they had been strict pacifists, and it is clear, from several passages of
the Qur'an, that many of them disliked the idea of fighting and had to be inured to it.
The Campaign of Badr
In the second year of the Hijrah (migration) the Makkan merchants' caravan [which had
the confiscated possessions of what the Muslims had left in Makkah] was returning from
Syria as usual by a road which passed not far from Yathrib. As its leader Abu Sufyan ap-
proached the territory of Yathrib he heard of the Prophet's plan to capture the caravan.
At once he sent a camel-rider towards Makkah, who arrived in a worn-out state and
shouted frantically from the valley to Quraysh to hasten to the rescue unless they wished
to lose both wealth and honour. A force of a thousand strong was soon on its way to
Yathrib: less, it would seem, with the hope of saving the caravan than with the idea of
punishing the raiders, since the Prophet might have taken the caravan before the relief
force started from Makkah.
Did the Prophet ever intend to raid the caravan? In Ibn Hisham, in the account of the
Tabuk expedition, it is stated that the Prophet on that one occasion did not hide his real
objective. The caravan was the pretext in the campaign of Badr; the real objective was the
Makkan army.
He had received command to fight his persecutors, and with the promised of victory, he
was prepared to venture against any odds, as was well seen at Badr. But the Muslims, ill-
equipped for war, would have despaired if they had known from the first instance that
they were to face a well-armed force three times their number.
18
The army of Quraysh had advanced more than half-way to Yathrib before the Prophet
set out. All three parties — the army of Quraysh, the Muslim army and the caravan — were
heading for the water of Badr. Abu Sufyan, the leader of the caravan, heard from one of
his scouts that the Muslims were near the water, and turned back to the coast-plain leav-
ing the Muslims to meet the army of Quraysh by the well of Badr.
Before the battle, the Prophet was prepared, still further to increase the odds against him.
He gave leave to all the Ansar (natives of Yathrib) to return to their homes un-
reproached, since their oath did not include the duty of fighting in the field; but the Ansar
were only hurt by the suggestion that they could possibly desert him at a time of danger.
The batde went at first against the Muslims, but against the odds with a much weaker ar-
my they were victorious.
The victory of Badr gave the Prophet new prestige among the Arab tribes; but thence-
forth there was the feud of blood between Quraysh and the Islamic State in addition to
the old religious hatred. Those passages of the Qur'an which refer to the battle of Badr
give warning of much greater struggles yet to come.
In fact in the following year, an army of three thousand came from Makkah to destroy
Yathrib. The Prophet's first idea was merely to defend the city, a plan of which Abdullah
ibn Ubayy, the leader of "the Hypocrites" ('Muslims by name only'), strongly approved.
But the men who had fought at Badr and believed that God would help them against any
odds thought it a shame that they should linger behind walls.
The Battle on Mount Uhud
The Prophet, approving of their faith and 2eal, gave way to them, and set out with an ar-
my of one thousand men toward Mt. Uhud, where the enemy were encamped. Abdullah
ibn Ubayy was much offended by the change of plan. He thought it unlikely that the
Prophet really meant to give batde in conditions so adverse to the Muslims, and was un-
willing to take part in a mere demonstration designed to flatter the Muslims. So he with-
drew with his men, a fourth or so of the army.
Despite the heavy odds, the battle on Mt. Uhud would have been an even greater victory
than that at Badr for the Muslims but for the disobedience of a band of fifty archers
whom the Prophet set to guard a pass against the enemy cavalry. Seeing their comrades
victorious, these men left their post, fearing to lose their share of the spoils. The cavalry
of Quraysh rode through the gap and fell on the exultant Muslims.
The Prophet himself was wounded and the cry arose that he was slain, till someone rec-
ogni2ed him and shouted that he was still living; a shout to which the Muslims rallied.
Gathering round the Prophet, they retreated, leaving many dead on the hillside.
On the following day the Prophet again ventured forth with what remained of the army,
with the intention that the Quraysh might hear that he was in the field and so might per-
haps be deterred from attacking the city. The stratagem succeeded, thanks to the beha-
viour of a friendly Bedouin, who met the Muslims and conversed with them and after-
wards met the army of Quraysh. Questioned by Abu Sufyan, he said that Muhammad was
19
in the field, stronger than ever, and thirsting for revenge for yesterday's affair. On that in-
formation, Abu Sufyan decided to return to Makkah.
Massacre of Muslims
The reverse which they had suffered on Mt. Uhud lowered the prestige of the Muslims
with the Arab tribes and also with the Jews of Yathrib. Tribes which had inclined toward
the Muslims now inclined toward Quraysh. The Prophet's followers were attacked and
murdered when they went abroad in little companies. Khubayb, one of his envoys, was
captured by a desert tribe and sold to Quraysh, who tortured him to death in Makkah
publicly.
Expulsion of B anu-N adhe er
The Jews, despite their treaty, now hardly concealed their hostility. They even went so far
in flatter)' of Quraysh as to declare the religion of the pagan Arabs superior to Islam. The
Prophet was obliged to take punitive action against some of them. The tribe of Banu-
Nadheer were besieged in their strong towers, subdued and forced to emigrate. The Hy-
pocrites had sympathized with the Jews and secredy egged them on.
The War of the Trench
In the fifth year of the Hijrah the idolaters made a great effort to destroy Islam in the War
of the Clans or War of the Trench, as it is variously called; when Quraysh with all their
clans and the great desert tribe of Ghatafan with all their clans, an army of ten thousand
men rode against Al-Madinah (Yathrib). The Prophet (by the advice of Salman the Per-
sian) caused a deep trench to be dug before the city, and himself led the work of digging
it.
The army of the clans was stopped by the trench, a novelty in Arab warfare. It seemed
impassable for cavalry, which formed their strength. They camped in sight of it and daily
showered their arrows on its defenders. While the Muslims were awaiting the assault,
news came that Banu Quraythah, a Jewish tribe of Yathrib which had till then been loyal,
had gone over to the enemy. The case seemed desperate. But the delay caused by the
trench had dampened the zeal of the clans, and one who was secredy a Muslim managed
to sow distrust between Quraysh and their Jewish allies, so that both hesitated to act.
Then came a bitter wind from the sea, which blew for three days and nights so terribly
that not a tent could be kept standing, not a fire lighted, not a pot boiled. The tribesmen
were in utter misery. At length, one night the leader of Quraysh decided that the torment
could be borne no longer and gave the order to retire. When Ghatafan awoke next morn-
ing they found Quraysh had gone and they too took up their baggage and retreated.
Punishment of Banu Quraythah
On the day of the return from the trench the Prophet ordered war on the treacherous
Banu Quraythah. who, conscious of their guilt, had already taken to their towers of re-
fuge. After a siege of nearly a month they had to surrender unconditionally. They only
begged that they might be judged by a member of the Arab tribe of which they were ad-
20
herents. The Prophet granted their request. But the judge, upon whose favor they had
counted, condemned their fighting men to death, their women and children to slavery.
Early in the sixth year of the Hijrah the Prophet led a campaign against the Bani al-
Mustaliq, a tribe who were preparing to attack the Muslims.
Al-Hudaybiyah
In the same year the Prophet had a vision in which he found himself entering the holy
place at Makkah unopposed, therefore he determined to attempt the pilgrimage. Attired
as pilgrims, and taking with them the customary offerings, a company of fourteen hun-
dred men journeyed to Makkah. As they drew near the holy valley they were met by a
friend from the city, who warned the Prophet that Quraysh had put on their leopards-
skins (the badge of valour) and had sworn to prevent his entering the sanctuary; their ca-
valry was on the road before him. On that, the Prophet ordered a detour through moun-
tain gorges and the Muslims were tired out when they came down at last into the valley of
Makkah and encamped at a spot called Al-Hudaybiyah; from here he tried to open nego-
tiations with Quraysh, to explain that he came only as a pilgrim.
The first messenger he sent towards the city was maltreated and his camel hamstrung. He
returned without delivering his message. Quraysh on their side sent an envoy which was
threatening in manner, and very arrogant. Another of their envoys was too familiar and
had to be reminded: sternly of the respect due to the Prophet. It was he who, on his re-
turn to the city, said: "I have seen Caesar and Chosroes in their pomp, but never have I
seen a man honoured as Muhammad is honoured by his comrades."
The Prophet sought some messenger who would impose respect. Uthman was finally
chosen because of his kinship with the powerful Umayyad family. While the Muslims
were awaiting his return the news came that he had been murdered. It was then that the
Prophet, sitting under a tree in Al-Hudaybiyah, took an oath from all his comrades that
they would stand or fall together. After a while, however, it became known that Uthman
had not been murdered. A troop which came out from the city to molest the Muslims in
their camp was captured before they could do any hurt and brought before the Prophet,
who forgave them on their promise to renounce hostility.
Truce of Al-Hudaybiyah
Then proper envoys came from Quraysh. After some negotiation, the truce of Al-
Hudaybiyah was signed. For ten years there were to be no hostilities between the parties.
The Prophet was to return to Madinah without visiting the Ka'bah, but in the following
year he might perform the pilgrimage with his comrades, Quraysh promising to evacuate
Makkah for three days to allow of his doing so. Deserters from Quraysh to the Muslims
during the period of the truce were to be returned; not so deserters from the Muslims to
Quraysh. Any tribe or clan who wished to share in, the treaty as allies of the Prophet
might do so, and any tribe or clan who wished to share in the treaty as allies of Quraysh
might do so.
There was dismay among the Muslims at these terms. They asked one another: "Where is
the victory that we were promised?" It was during the return journey from al-Hudaybiyah
21
that the Surah entitled "The Conquest" (surah 48) was revealed. This truce proved, in
fact, to be the greatest victory that the Muslims had till then achieved. War had been a
barrier between them and the idolaters, but now both parties met and talked together,
and the religion spread more rapidly. In the two years which elapsed between the signing
of the truce and the fall of Makkah the number of reverts was greater than the total num-
ber of all previous reverts. The Prophet traveled to Al-Hudaybiyah with 1400 men. Two
years later, when the Makkans broke the truce, he marched against them with an army of
10,000.
The Campaign of Khaybar
In the seventh year after the Hijrah, the Prophet led a campaign against Khaybar, the
stronghold of the Jewish tribes in North Arabia, which had become a hornets' nest of his
enemies. The forts of Khaybar were reduced one by one, and the Jews of Khaybar be-
came thenceforth tenants of the Muslims until the expulsion of the Jews from Arabia in
the 'Caliphate of Umar.' On the day when the last fort surrendered Ja'far son of Abu Ta-
lib, the Prophet's first cousin, arrived with all who remained of the Muslims who had fled
to Abyssinia to escape from persecution in the early days.
They had been absent from Arabia for fifteen years. It was at Khaybar that a Jewess pre-
pared for the Prophet poisoned meat, of which he only tasted a morsel without swallow-
ing it, and then warned his comrades that it was poisoned. One Muslim, who had already
swallowed a mouthful, died immediately, and the Prophet himself, from the mere taste of
it, derived the illness which eventually caused his death. The woman who had cooked the
meat was brought before him. When she said that she had done it on account of the hu-
miliation of her people, he forgave her.
Pilgrimage to Makkah
In following year the Prophet's vision was fulfilled: he visited the holy place at Makkah
unopposed. In accordance with the terms of the truce the idolaters evacuated the city,
and from the surrounding heights watched the procedure of the Muslims. At the end of
the stipulated three days the chiefs of Quraysh sent a reminder to the Prophet that the
time was up. He then withdrew, and the idolaters reoccupied the city.
Mu'tah Expedition
In the eighth year of the Hijrah, hearing that the Byzantine emperor was gathering a force
in Syria for the destruction of Islam, the Prophet sent three thousand men to Syria under
the command of his freed slave Zayd. The campaign was unsuccessful except that it im-
pressed the Syrians with a notion of the reckless valour of the Muslims. The three thou-
sand did not hesitate to join batde with a hundred thousand. When all the three leaders
appointed by the Prophet had been killed, the survivors under the command of Khalid
ibn al-Walid, who, by his strategy and courage, managed to preserve a remnant and return
with them to Madinah.
22
Truce Broken by Quraysh
In the same year Quraysh broke the truce by attacking a tribe that was in alliance with the
Prophet and massacring them even in the sanctuary at Makkah. Afterwards they were
afraid because of what they had done. They sent Abu Sufyan to Madinah to ask for the
existing treaty to be renewed and, its term prolonged. They hoped that he would arrive
before the tidings of the massacre. But a messenger from the injured tribe had been be-
fore him, and his embassy was fruitless.
Conquest of Makkah
Then the Prophet summoned all the Muslims capable of bearing arms and marched to
Makkah. The Quraysh were overawed. Their cavalry put up a show of defence before the
town, but were routed without bloodshed; and the Prophet entered his native city on
horseback with his head humbled before God as conqueror. The inhabitants expected
vengeance for their past misdeeds. The Prophet proclaimed a general amnesty. Only a
few known criminals were proscribed, and most of those were in the end forgiven. In
their relief and surprise, the whole population of Makkah hastened to swear allegiance.
The Prophet caused all the idols which were in the sanctuary to be destroyed, saying:
"Truth has come; darkness has vanished away;" and the Muslim call to prayer was heard
in Makkah.
Battle of Hunayn
In the same year there was an angry gathering of pagan tribes eager to regain the Ka'bah.
The Prophet led twelve thousand men against them. At Hunayn, in a deep ravine, his
troops were ambushed by the enemy and almost put to flight. It was with difficulty that
they were rallied to the Prophet and his bodyguard of faithful comrades who alone stood
firm. But the victory, when it came, was complete and the booty enormous, for many of
the hostile tribes had brought out with them everything that they possessed.
Conquest of Ta'if
The tribe of Thaqif was among the enemy at Hunayn. After that victory their city of Ta'if
was besieged by the Muslims, and finally reduced. Then the Prophet appointed a gover-
nor of Makkah, and himself returned to Madinah to the boundless joy of the Ansar, who
had feared lest, now that he had regained his native city, he might forsake them and make
Makkah the capital.
The Tabuk Expedition
In the ninth year of the Hijrah, hearing that an army was again being mustered in Syria,
the Prophet called on all the Muslims to support him in a great campaign. The far dis-
tance, the hot season, the fact that it was harvest time and the prestige of the enemy
caused many to excuse themselves and many more to stay behind without excuse. Those
defaulters are denounced in the Qur'an. But the campaign ended peacefully. The army
advanced to Tabuk, on the confines of Syria, and then learnt that the enemy had not yet
gathered.
23
Declaration of Immunity
Although Makkah had been conquered and its people were now Muslims, the official or-
der of the pilgrimage had not been changed; the pagan Arabs performing it in their man-
ner, and the Muslims in their manner. It was only after the pilgrims' caravan had left Ma-
dinah in the ninth year of the Hijrah, when Islam was dominant in North Arabia, that the
Declaration of Immunity, as it is called, was revealed (Surah 9). The Prophet sent a copy
of it by messenger to Abu Bakr, leader of the pilgrimage, with the instruction that Ali was
to read it to the multitudes at Makkah. Its declaration was that after that year, Muslims
only were to make the pilgrimage, exception being made for such of the idolaters as had a
treaty with the Muslims and had never broken their treaty nor supported anyone against
them. Such were to enjoy the privileges of their treaty for the term thereof, but when
their treaty expired they would be as other idolaters. That proclamation marks the end of
idol- worship in Arabia.
The Year of Deputations
The ninth year of the Hijrah is called the Year of Deputations, because from all parts of
Arabia deputations came to Madinah to swear allegiance to the Prophet and to hear the
Qur'an. The Prophet had become, in fact, the Ruler of Arabia, but his way of life re-
mained as simple as before. He personally controlled every detail of organi2ation, judged
every case and was accessible to every suppliant. In the last ten years he destroyed idolatry
in Arabia; raised women from the status of a catde to legal equity with men; effectually
stopped the drunkenness and immorality which had fill then disgraced the Arabs; made
men in love with faith, sincerity and honest dealing; transformed tribes who had been for
centuries content with ignorance into a people with the greatest thirst for knowledge; and
for the first time in history made universal human brotherhood a fact and principle of
common law. And his support and guide in all that work was the Qur'an.
The Farewell Pilgrimage
In the tenth year of the Hijrah, the Prophet Muhammad went to Makkah as a pilgrim for
the last time — his "pilgrimage of farewell" as it is called — when from Mt. 'Arafat he
preached to an enormous throng of pilgrims. He reminded them of all the duties Islam
enjoined upon them, and that they would one day have to meet their Lord, who would
judge each one of them according to his work. He said:
"O People, listen well to my words, for I do not know whether, after this year, I shall
ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully
and take these words to those who could not be present here today.
O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life
and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to
their rightful owners. Treat others justly so that no one would be unjust to you. Re-
member that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your
deeds. God has forbidden you to take usury (ribd), therefore all riba obligation shall
henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict
nor suffer inequity
24
Beware of the devil, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he
will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small
things.
O People, it is true that you have certain rights over your women, but they also have
rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under God's
trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the
right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Treat your women well and be kind to them,
for they are your partners and committed helpers. It is your right that they do not
make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be un-
chaste...
O People, listen to me in earnest, worship God (The One Creator of the Universe),
perform your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give
your financial obligation (zakah) of your wealth. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.
All mankind are from Adam and Eve - an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab
nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over
a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action.
Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute
one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow
Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to
yourselves.
Remember, one day you will appear before God (The Creator) and you will answer
for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am
gone.
O People, no prophet or messenger will come after me and no new faith will be born.
Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I am
leaving you with the Book of God (the Qur'an) and my Sunnah (practices), if you fol-
low them you will never go astray.
All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others
again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me
directly. Be my witness O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people.
Illness and Death of the Prophet
It was during that last pilgrimage that the Surah entitled 'Victory' (surah 110) was re-
vealed, which he received as an announcement of approaching death. Soon after his re-
turn to Madinah he fell ill. The tidings of his illness caused dismay throughout Arabia and
anguish to the folk of Madinah, Makkah and Ta'if, the hometowns. At early dawn on the
last day of his earthly life he came out from his room beside the masjid at Madinah and
joined the public prayer, which Abu Bakr had been leading since his illness. And there
was great relief among the people, who supposed him well again.
When, later in the day, the rumour grew that he was dead. Umar threatened those who
spread the rumour with dire punishment, declaring it a crime to think that the Messenger
of God could die. He was storming at the people in that strain when Abu Bakr came into
the mosque and overheard him. Abu Bakr went to the chamber of his daughter Aisha,
25
where the Prophet lay. Having ascertained the fact, kissed the dead-man's forehead and
went back into the mosque. The people were still listening to Umar, who was saying that
the rumour was a wicked lie, that the Prophet who was all in all to them could not be
dead. Abu Bakr went up to Umar and tried to stop him by a whispered word. Then, find-
ing he would pay no heed, Abu Bakr called to the people, who, recogni2ing his voice, left
Umar and came crowding round him. He first gave praise to God, and then said: "O
people! Lo! As for him who worshipped Muhammad, Muhammad is dead. But as for him
who worships God, God is Alive and dies not." He then recited the verse of the Qur'an:
"Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on
before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your
heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm
God at all; but God will reward the grateful."
Qur'an 3:144
"And," says the narrator: an eye-witness, "it was as if the people had not known that such
a verse had been revealed till Abu Bakr recited it." And another witness tells how Umar
used to say: when "I heard Abu Bakr recite that verse my feet were cut from beneath me
and I fell to the ground, for I knew that God's messenger was dead, May God bless him!"
The final messeneger sent to humanity died at the age of 63 years old in the 10 th year of
the Hijrah (migration) - 632 A.D.
Such is Prophet Muhammad. According to every standard by which human greatness can
be measured he was matchless; no person was ever greater.
Source: A.B. al-Mehri. Edited from following sources —
M. Pickthall, Introduction - The Glorious Qur'an,
K. Murrad, Who is Muhammad?
M. Mawdudi, Tajhim al-Qur'dn
26
The Qur'an
Saheeh International Translation
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Surah 1: al-Fatihah www.quranproject.org 1: The Opening
Surah 1: al-Fatihah
Period of Revelation
It is one of the very earliest Revelations to the Prophet. As a matter of fact we learn from authentic Ha-
dith (traditions) that it was the first complete Surah which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad. Before
this only a few verses were revealed which form parts of Surah Alaq, Nun, Muzzammil and Muddathir.
Theme
This Surah is in fact a prayer which God has taught to all those who want to make a study of His Book.
It has been placed at the very beginning of the Book to teach this lesson to the reader: if you sincerely
want to benefit from the Qur'an, you should offer this prayer to the Lord of the Universe.
This preface is meant to create a strong desire in the heart of the reader to seek guidance from the Lord
of the Universe, who alone can grant it. Thus al-Fatihah indirectly teaches that the best thing for a man is
to pray for guidance to the straight path, to study the Qur'an with the mental attitude of a seeker-after-
truth and to recognize the fact that the Lord of the Universe is the source of all knowledge. He should,
therefore, begin the study of the Qur'an with a prayer to him for guidance.
From this theme, it becomes clear that the real relation between al-Fatihah and the Qur'an is not that of
an introduction to a book but that of a prayer and its answer. Al-Fatihah is the prayer from the servant
and the Qur'an is the answer from the the Master to his prayer. The servant prays to God to show him
guidance and the Master places the whole of the Qur'an before him in answer to his prayer, as if to say,
"This is the Guidance you begged from Me."
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Surah 1: al-Fatihah 1
1 . In the name of God, 2 the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 3
2. [All] praise is [due] to God, Lord 4 of the worlds -
3. The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,
4. Sovereign of the Day of Recompense. 5
5. It is You we worship and You we ask for help.
6. Guide us to the straight path —
7. The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have
evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
1 A.l-Fdtihah: The Opening (of the Qur'an). Note: Surah titles are not an integral part of the Qur'an.
A distinguishing word in a particular surah or a word defining its subject matter often became a
common means of identification among the Prophet's companions and later scholars. Although
some names, such as al-Fatihah, were used by the Prophet in reference to a particular surah, they
were not specifically designated by him as titles.
2 God, Creator and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is within them, the Eternal
and Absolute, to whom alone all worship is due.
3 Ar-Rahmdn and &r-Raheem are two names of God derived from the word "rahmdh" (mercy). In
Arabic grammar both are intensive forms of "merciful" (i.e., extremely merciful). A complimentary
and comprehensive meaning is intended by using both together.
Rahman is used only to describe God, while raheem might be used to describe a person as well. The
Prophet was described in the Qur'an as raheem. Rahman is above the human level (i.e., intensely
merciful). Since one usually understands intensity to be something of short duration, God de-
scribes Himself also as raheem (i.e., continually merciful).
Rahman also carries a wider meaning - merciful to all creation. Justice is a part of this mercy. Ra-
heem includes the concept of speciality - especially and specifically merciful to the believers. For-
giveness is a part of this mercy. (See al-Qurtubl's al-Jami'u li Ahkdmil-Qur'dn, pp.103-107.)
However we will incorporate the translation henceforth, 'In the Name of God, the Most Compas-
sionate, the Most Merciful'
4 When referring to God, the Arabic term "rabb" (translated as "Lord") includes all of the follow-
ing meanings: "owner, master, ruler, controller, sustainer, provider, guardian and caretaker."
5 i.e., repayment and compensation for whatever was earned of good or evil during life on this
earth.
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Surah 2: al-Baqarah
Sequence
Though it is a Madani Surah, it follows naturally a Makki Surah Al-Fatihah, which ended with the prayer:
"Show us the straight way." It begins with the answer to that prayer, "This is the Book (that) ... is
guidance." The greater part of Al-Baqarah was revealed during the first two years of the Prophet's life at
Madinah. The smaller part which was revealed at a later period has been included in this Surah because its
contents are closely related to those dealt with in this Surah.
Historical Background
In order to understand the meaning of this Surah, we should know its historical background:
1 . At Makkah the Qur'an generally addressed the polytheist Quraysh who were ignorant of Islam, but
at Madinah it was also concerned with the Jews who were acquainted with the creed of the Oneness
of God, Prophethood, Revelation, the Hereafter and Angels. They also professed to believe in the
law which was revealed by God to their Prophet Moses, and in principle, their way was the same
(Islam) that was being taught by Prophet Muhammad. But they had strayed away from it during the
centuries of degeneration and had adopted many un-Islamic creeds, rites and customs of which
there was no mention and for which there was no sanction in the Torah. Not only this: they had
tampered with the Torah by inserting their own explanations and interpretations into its text. They
had distorted even that part of the Word of God which had remained intact in their Scriptures and
taken out of it the real spirit of true religion and were now clinging to a lifeless frame of rituals.
Consequently their beliefs, their morals and their conduct had gone to the lowest depths of degene-
ration. The pity is that they were not only satisfied with their condition but loved to cling to it. Be-
sides this, they had no intention or inclination to accept any kind of reform. So they became bitter
enemies of those who came to teach them the Right Way and did their worst to defeat every such
effort. Though they were originally Muslims, they had swerved from the real Islam and made inno-
vations and alterations in it and had fallen victims to hair splitting and sectarianism. They had for-
gotten and forsaken God and begun to serve material wealth. So much so that they had even given
up their original name "Muslim" and adopted the name "Jew" instead, and made religion the sole
monopoly of the children of Israel. This was their religious condition when the Prophet went to
Madinah and invited the Jews to the true religion. That is why more than one third of this Surah has
been addressed to the children of Israel. A critical review of their history, their moral degeneration
and their religious perversions has been made. Side by side with this, the high standard of morality
and the fundamental principles of the pure religion have been put forward in order to bring out
clearly the nature of the degeneration of the community of a prophet when it goes astray and to
draw clear lines of demarcation between real piety and formalism, and the essentials and non-
essentials of the true religion.
2. At Makkah, Islam was mainly concerned with the propagation of its fundamental principles and the
moral training of its followers. But after the migration of the Prophet to Madinah, where Muslims
had come to settle from all over Arabia and where a tiny Islamic State had been set up with the help
of the Ansar (local supporters), naturally the Qur'an had to turn its attention to the social, cultural,
economic, political and legal problems as well. This accounts for the difference between the themes
of the Surahs revealed at Makkah and those at Madinah. Accordingly about half of this Surah deals
with those principles and regulations which are essential for the integration and solidarity of a
community and for the solution of its problems.
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After the migration to Madinah, the struggle between Islam and Kufr (disbelief) had also entered a new
phase. Before this the Believers, who propagated Islam among their own clans and tribes, had to face its op-
ponents at their own risk. But the conditions had changed at Madinah, where Muslims from all parts of Ara-
bia had come and settled as one community, and had established an independent city state. Here it became a
struggle for the survival of the Community itself, for the whole of non- Muslim Arabia was bent upon and
united in crushing it totally. Hence the following instructions, upon which depended not only its success but
its very survival, were revealed in this Surah:
a. The Community should work with the utmost zeal to propagate its ideology and win over to its side
the greatest possible number of people.
b. It should so expose its opponents as to leave no room for doubt in the mind of any sensible person
that they were adhering to an absolutely wrong position.
c. It should infuse in its members (the majority of whom were homeless and indigent and surrounded
on all sides by enemies) that courage and fortitude which is so indispensable to their very existence
in the adverse circumstances in which they were struggling and to prepare them to face these bold-
ly.
d. It should also keep them ready and prepared to meet any armed menace, which might come from
any side to suppress and crush their ideology, and to oppose it tooth and nail without minding the
overwhelming numerical strength and the material resources of its enemies.
e. It should also create in them that courage which is needed for the eradication of evil ways and for
the establishment of the Islamic Way instead. That is why God has revealed in this Surah such in-
structions as may help achieve all the above mentioned objects.
At the time of the revelation of Al-Baqarah, all sorts of hypocrites had begun to appear. God has, therefore,
briefly pointed out their characteristics here. Afterwards when their evil characteristics and mischievous
deeds became manifest, God sent detailed instructions about them.
Theme: Guidance
This Surah is an invitation to the Divine Guidance and all the stories, incidents etc., revolve around this cen-
tral theme. As this Surah has particularly been addressed to the Jews, many historical events have been cited
from their own traditions to admonish and advise them that their own good lies in accepting the Guidance
revealed to the Prophet. They should, therefore, be the first to accept it because it was basically the same that
was revealed to Prophet Moses.
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Surah 2: al-Baqarah 6
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. Alif, Lam, Meem. 7
2. This is the Book about which there is
no doubt, a guidance for those con-
scious of God 8 -
3. Who believe in the unseen, establish
prayer, 9 and spend out of what We
10
have provided for them,
4.
5.
6.
And who believe in what has been re-
vealed to you, [O Muhammad], and
what was revealed before you, and of
the Hereafter they are certain [in faith] .
Those are upon [right] guidance from
their Lord, and it is those who are the
successful.
Indeed, those who disbelieve 11 - it is all
the same for them whether you warn
them or do not warn them - they will
not believe.
6 Al-Baqarah. The Cow. The name is taken from
the story in verses 67-73.
7 These are among the fourteen opening letters
which occur in various combinations at the be-
ginning of twenty-nine surahs in the Qur'an. Al-
though there has been much speculation as to
their meaning, it was not, in fact, revealed by God
to anyone and is known only to Him.
8 Literally, "those who have taqwa" i.e., who have
piety, righteousness, fear and love of God, and
who take great care to avoid His displeasure.
9 At its proper times and according to its speci-
fied conditions.
10 It is to be noted that the reference of God to
Himself as "We" in many Qur'anic verses is nec-
essarily understood in the Arabic language to
denote grandeur and power, as apposed to the
more intimate singular form "I" used in specific
instances.
11 Literally, "cover" or "conceal" (faith or truth).
7. God has set a seal upon their hearts
and upon their hearing, and over their
vision is a veil. 12 And for them is a great
punishment.
8. And of the people are some who say,
"We believe in God and the Last Day,"
but they are not believers.
9. They [think to] deceive God and those
who believe, but they deceive not ex-
cept themselves and perceive [it] not.
10. In their hearts is disease, so God has
increased their disease; 13 and for them
is a painful punishment because they
[habitually] used to lie.
11. And when it is said to them, "Do not
cause corruption on the earth," they
say, "We are but reformers."
12. Unquestionably, it is they who are the
corrupters, but they perceive [it] not.
13. And when it is said to them, "Believe as
the people have believed," they say,
"Should we believe as the foolish have
believed?" Unquestionably, it is they
who are the foolish, but they know [it]
not.
14. And when they meet those who be-
lieve, they say, "We believe"; but when
they are alone with their evil ones, they
say, "Indeed, we are with you; we were
only mockers."
15. [But] God mocks them and prolongs
them in their transgression [while] they
wander blindly.
12 A covering preventing them from discerning
guidance. This condition is a direct result of their
arrogance and persistence in sin.
13 The "disease" mentioned here includes doubt,
hypocrisy, arrogance and disbelief.
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16. Those are the ones who have pur- 22.
chased error [in exchange] for guidance,
so their transaction has brought no
profit, nor were they guided.
17. Their example is that of one who kin-
dled a fire, but when it illuminated what
was around him, God took away their
light and left them in darkness [so] they 23.
could not see.
1 8. Deaf, dumb and blind - so they will not
return [to the right path] .
19. Or [it is] like a rainstorm from the sky
within which is darkness, thunder and
lightning. They put their fingers in their 24.
ears against the thunderclaps in dread
of death. But God is encompassing 14 of
the disbelievers.
[He] who made for you the earth a bed
[spread out] and the sky a ceiling and
sent down from the sky, rain and
brought forth thereby fruits as provi-
sion for you. So do not attribute to
God equals while you know [that there
is nothing similar to Him],
And if you are in doubt about what We
have sent down [i.e., the Qur'an] upon
Our Servant [i.e., Prophet Muhammad],
then produce a surah the like thereof
and call upon your witnesses [i.e., sup-
porters] other than God, if you should
be truthful.
But if you do not - and you will never
be able to - then fear the Fire, whose
fuel is men and stones, prepared for the
disbelievers.
20. The lightning almost snatches away
their sight. Every time it lights [the way]
for them, they walk therein; but when
darkness comes over them, they stand
[still]. And if God had willed, He could
have taken away their hearing and their
sight. Indeed, God is over all things
competent.
21. O mankind, worship your Lord, who
created you and those before you, that
you may become righteous —
14 God states in the Qur'an that He has certain
attributes such as hearing, sight, hands, face, mer-
cy, anger, coming, encompassing, being above the
Throne, etc. Yet, He has disassociated Himself
from the limitations of human attributes or hu-
man imagination. Correct Islamic belief requires
faith in the existence of these attributes as God
has described them without applying to them any
allegorical meanings or attempting to explain how
a certain quality could be (while this is known
only to God) and without comparing them to
creation or denying that He would have such a
quality. His attributes are befitting to Him alone,
and "There is nothing like unto Him." (42:11)
25. And give good tidings to those who
believe and do righteous deeds that
they will have gardens [in Paradise] be-
neath which rivers flow. Whenever they
are provided with a provision of fruit
therefrom, they will say, "This is what
we were provided with before." And it
is given to them in likeness. And they
will have therein purified spouses, and
they will abide therein eternally.
26. Indeed, God is not timid to present an
example - that of a mosquito or what is
smaller 15 than it. And those who have
believed know that it is the truth from
their Lord. But as for those who disbe-
lieve, they say, "What did God intend
by this as an example?" He misleads
many thereby and guides many thereby.
And He misleads not except the de-
fiantly disobedient,
27. Who break the covenant of God after
contracting it and sever that which God
' Literally, "above it," i.e., greater in smallness.
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has ordered to be joined and cause cor-
ruption on earth. It is those who are
the losers.
28. How can you disbelieve in God when
you were lifeless and He brought you
to life; then He will cause you to die,
then He will bring you [back] to life,
and then to Him you will be returned.
29. It is He who created for you all of that
which is on the earth. Then He directed
Himself 16 to the heaven, [His being
above all creation], and made them sev-
en heavens, and He is Knowing of all
things.
30. And [mention, O Muhammad], when
your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I
will make upon the earth a successive
authority." 17 They said, "Will You place
upon it one who causes corruption
therein and sheds blood, while we dec-
lare Your praise and sanctify You?" He
[God] said, "Indeed, I know that which
you do not know."
31. And He taught Adam the names - all of
them. Then He showed them to the
angels and said, "Inform Me of the
names of these, if you are truthful."
32. They said, "Exalted are You; we have
no knowledge except what You have
taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the
Knowing, the Wise."
33. He said, "O Adam, inform them of
their names." And when he had in-
formed them of their names, He said,
"Did I not tell you that I know the un-
seen [aspects] of the heavens and the
earth? And I know what you reveal and
what you have concealed."
16 See footnote to 2:19.
17 Khalifat, successor, or generations of man, one
following another.
34. And [mention] when We said to the
angels, "Prostrate before Adam"; so
they prostrated, except for Iblees. 18 He
refused and was arrogant and became
of the disbelievers.
35. And We said, "O Adam, dwell, you and
your wife, in Paradise and eat there-
from in [ease and] abundance from
wherever you will. But do not approach
this tree, lest you be among the wrong-
doers."
36. But Satan caused them to slip out of it
and removed them from that [condi-
tion] in which they had been. And We
said, "Go down, [all of you], as enemies
to one another, and you will have upon
the earth a place of settlement and pro-
vision for a time."
37. Then Adam received from his Lord
[some] words, 19 and He accepted his
repentance. Indeed, it is He who is the
Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.
38. We said, "Go down from it, all of you.
And when guidance comes to you from
Me, whoever follows My guidance -
there will be no fear concerning them,
nor will they grieve.
39. And those who disbelieve and deny
Our signs - those will be companions
of the Fire; they will abide therein eter-
nally."
40. O Children of Israel, remember My
favor which I have bestowed upon you
and fulfill My covenant [upon you] that
18 The proper name of Satan, who was not an
angel but from the jinn, as stated in 18:50. Done
in obedience to God, this prostration was one of
respect, not worship.
19 God taught Adam words of repentance that
would be acceptable to Him.
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I will fulfill your covenant [from Me],
and be afraid of [only] Me.
41. And believe in what I have sent down
confirming that which is [already] with
you, and be not the first to disbelieve in
it. And do not exchange My signs for a
small price, and fear [only] Me.
42.
43.
44.
And do not mix the truth with false-
hood or conceal the truth while you
know [it].
And establish prayer and give zakah 20
and bow with those who bow [in wor-
ship and obedience] .
Do you order righteousness of the
people and forget 21 yourselves while
you recite the Scripture? Then will you
not reason?
45. And seek help through patience and
prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except
for the humbly submissive [to God]
46. Who are certain that they will meet
their Lord and that they will return to
Him.
47. O Children of Israel, remember My
favor that I have bestowed upon you
and that I preferred you over the
worlds [i.e., peoples].
48. And fear a Day when no soul will suf-
fice for another soul 22 at all, nor will in-
tercession be accepted from it, nor will
compensation be taken from it, nor will
they be aided.
20 An annual expenditure for the benefit of the
Islamic community (see 9:60) required of those
Muslims who have excess wealth. Prayer and
%akdh are among the pillars of Islam.
21 Make exceptions of.
22 i.e., fulfil what is due from it.
49. And [recall] when We saved you [i.e.,
your forefathers] from the people of
Pharaoh, who afflicted you with the
worst torment, slaughtering your [new-
born] sons and keeping your females
alive. And in that was a great trial from
your Lord.
50. And [recall] when We parted the sea for
you and saved you and drowned the
people of Pharaoh while you were
looking on.
51. And [recall] when We made an ap-
pointment with Moses for forty nights.
Then you took [for worship] the calf
after him [i.e., his departure], while you
were wrongdoers.
52. Then We forgave you after that so per-
haps you would be grateful.
53. And [recall] when We gave Moses the
Scripture and criterion 23 that perhaps
you would be guided.
54. And [recall] when Moses said to his
people, "O my people, indeed you have
wronged yourselves by your taking of
the calf [for worship] . So repent to your
Creator and kill yourselves [i.e., the
guilty among you]. That is best for [all
of] you in the sight of your Creator."
Then He accepted your repentance; in-
deed, He is the Accepting of repen-
tance, the Merciful.
55. And [recall] when you said, "O Moses,
we will never believe you until we see
God outright"; so the thunderbolt took
you while you were looking on.
56. Then We revived you after your death
that perhaps you would be grateful.
23 Differentiating between truth and falsehood.
"The Scripture and criterion" refers to the Torah.
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57. And We shaded you with clouds and
sent down to you manna and quails,
[saying], "Eat from the good things
with which We have provided you."
And they wronged Us not - but they
were [only] wronging themselves.
58. And [recall] when We said, "Enter this
city [i.e., Jerusalem] and eat from it
wherever you will in [ease and] abun-
dance, and enter the gate bowing hum-
bly 24 and say, 'Relieve us of our bur-
dens [i.e., sins].' We will [then] forgive
your sins for you, and We will increase
the doers of good [in goodness and re-
ward]."
59. But those who wronged changed [those
words] to a statement other than that
which had been said to them, so We
sent down upon those who wronged a
punishment [i.e., plague] from the sky
because they were defiandy disobeying.
returned with anger from God [upon
them]. That was because they [repeat-
edly] disbelieved in the signs of God
and killed the prophets without right.
That was because they disobeyed and
were [habitually] transgressing.
62. Indeed, those who believed and those
who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans
[before Prophet Muhammad] - those
[among them] who believed in God
and the Last Day and did righteousness
- will have their reward with their Lord,
and no fear will there be concerning
them, nor will they grieve. 25
63. And [recall] when We took your cove-
nant, [O Children of Israel, to abide by
the Torah] and We raised over you the
mount, [saying], "Take what We have
given you with determination and re-
member what is in it that perhaps you
may become righteous."
60. And [recall] when Moses prayed for 64.
water for his people, so We said,
"Strike with your staff the stone." And
there gushed forth from it twelve
springs, and every people [i.e., tribe]
knew its watering place. "Eat and drink 65.
from the provision of God, and do not
commit abuse on the earth, spreading
corruption."
Then you turned away after that. And if
not for the favor of God upon you and
His mercy, you would have been
among the losers.
And you had already known about
those who transgressed among you
concerning the sabbath, and We said to
them, "Be apes, despised."
61. And [recall] when you said, "O Moses,
we can never endure one [kind of]
food. So call upon your Lord to bring
forth for us from the earth its green
herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic
and its lentils and its onions." [Moses]
said, "Would you exchange what is bet-
ter for what is less? Go into [any] set-
tlement and indeed, you will have what
you have asked." And they were cov-
ered with humiliation and poverty and
24 In gratitude to God and admission of sin.
66. And We made it a deterrent punish-
ment for those who were present and
those who succeeded [them] and a les-
son for those who fear God.
67. And [recall] when Moses said to his
people, "Indeed, God commands you
to slaughter a cow." They said, "Do
you take us in ridicule?" He said, "I
25 After the coming of Prophet Muhammad no
religion other than Islam is acceptable to God, as
stated in 3:85.
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seek refuge in God from being among
the ignorant."
68. They said, "Call upon your Lord to
make clear to us what it is." [Moses]
said, "[God] says, 'It is a cow which is
neither old nor virgin, but median be-
tween that,' so do what you are com-
manded."
69. They said, "Call upon your Lord to
show us what is her color." He said,
"He says, 'It is a yellow cow, bright in
color -pleasing to the observers.' "
70. They said, "Call upon your Lord to
make clear to us what it is. Indeed, [all]
cows look alike to us. And indeed we, if
God wills, will be guided."
71. He said, "He says, 'It is a cow neither
trained to plow the earth nor to irrigate
the field, one free from fault with no
spot upon her.' " They said, "Now you
have come with the truth." So they
slaughtered her, but they could hardly
doit.
72. And [recall] when you slew a man and
disputed 26 over it, but God was to bring
out that which you were concealing.
73. So We said, "Strike him [i.e., the slain
man] with part of it." 27 Thus does God
bring the dead to life, and He shows
you His signs that you might reason.
74. Then your hearts became hardened
after that, being like stones or even
harder. For indeed, there are stones
from which rivers burst forth, and
there are some of them that split open
and water comes out, and there are
some of them that fall down for fear of
26 i.e., exchanged accusations and denials.
27 i.e., the cow. Thereupon, God restored life to
the man, who informed them of his murderer.
God. And God is not unaware of what
you do.
75. Do you covet [the hope, O believers],
that they would believe for you while a
party of them used to hear the words of
God and then distort it [i.e., the Torah]
after they had understood it while they
were knowing?
76. And when they meet those who be-
lieve, they say, "We have believed"; but
when they are alone with one another,
they say, "Do you talk to them about
what God has revealed to you so they
can argue with you about it before your
Lord?" Then will you not reason?
77. But do they not know that God knows
what they conceal and what they dec-
lare?
78. And among them are unlettered ones
who do not know the Scripture except
[indulgement in] wishful thinking, but
they are only assuming.
79. So woe 28 to those who write the "scrip-
ture" with their own hands, then say,
"This is from God," in order to ex-
change it for a small price. Woe to
them for what their hands have written
and woe to them for what they earn.
80. And they say, "Never will the Fire
touch us, except for [a few] numbered
days." Say, "Have you taken a covenant
with God? For God will never break
His covenant. Or do you say about
God that which you do not know?"
81. Yes, [on the contrary], whoever earns
evil and his sin has encompassed him -
those are the companions of the Fire;
they will abide therein eternally.
28 i.e., death and destruction.
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82. But they who believe and do righteous
deeds — those are the companions of
Paradise; they will abide therein eternal-
83. And [recall] when We took the cove-
nant from the Children of Israel, [en-
joining upon them], "Do not worship
except God; and to parents do good
and to relatives, orphans, and the nee-
dy. And speak to people good [words]
and establish prayer and give zakah."
Then you turned away, except a few of
you, and you were refusing.
84. And [recall] when We took your cove-
nant, [saying], "Do not shed your [i.e.,
each other's] blood or evict one anoth-
er from your homes." Then you ac-
knowledged [this] while you were wit-
nessing.
85. Then, you are those [same ones who
are] killing one another and evicting a
party of your people from their homes,
cooperating against them in sin and ag-
gression. And if they come to you as
captives, you ransom them, although
their eviction was forbidden to you. So
do you believe in part of the Scripture
and disbelieve in part? Then what is the
recompense for those who do that
among you except disgrace in worldly
life; and on the Day of Resurrection
they will be sent back to the severest of
punishment. And God is not unaware
of what you do.
86. Those are the ones who have bought
the life of this world [in exchange] for
the Hereafter, so the punishment will
not be lightened for them, nor will they
be aided.
87. And We did certainly give Moses the
scripture [i.e., the Torah] and followed
up after him with messengers. And We
gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear
proofs and supported him with the
Pure Spirit [i.e., the angel Gabriel]. But
is it [not] that every time a messenger
came to you, [O Children of Israel],
with what your souls did not desire,
you were arrogant? And a party [of
messengers] you denied and another
party you killed.
88. And they said, "Our hearts are
wrapped." 29 But, [in fact], God has
cursed them for their disbelief, so little
is it that they believe.
89. And when there came to them a Book
[i.e., the Qur'an] from God confirming
that which was with them - although
before they used to pray for victory
against those who disbelieved - but
[then] when there came to them that
which they recognized, they disbelieved
in it; so the curse of God will be upon
the disbelievers.
90. How wretched is that for which they
sold themselves - that they would dis-
believe in what God has revealed
through [their] outrage that God would
send down His favor upon whom He
wills from among His servants. So they
returned having [earned] wrath upon
wrath. And for the disbelievers is a
humiliating punishment.
91. And when it is said to them, "Believe in
what God has revealed," they say, "We
believe [only] in what was revealed to
us." And they disbelieve in what came
after it, while it is the truth confirming
that which is with them. Say, "Then
why did you kill the prophets of God
before, if you are [indeed] believers?"
29 Covered or sealed against reception of God's
word.
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92. And Moses had certainly brought you
clear proofs. Then you took the calf [in
worship] after that, while you were
wrongdoers.
93. And [recall] when We took your cove-
nant and raised over you the mount,
[saying], "Take what We have given you
with determination and listen." They
said [instead], "We hear and disobey."
And their hearts absorbed [the worship
of] the calf because of their disbelief.
Say, "How wretched is that which your
faith enjoins upon you, if you should be
believers."
94. Say, [O Muhammad], "If the home of
the Hereafter with God is for you alone
and not the [other] people, then wish
for death, if you should be truthful."
95. But they will never wish for it, ever,
because of what their hands have put
forth. And God is Knowing of the
wrongdoers.
96. And you will surely find them the most
greedy of people for life - [even] more
than those who associate others with
God. One of them wishes that he could
be granted life a thousand years, but it
would not remove him in the least
from the [coming] punishment that he
should be granted life. And God is See-
ing of what they do.
97. Say, "Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel -
it is [none but] he who has brought it
[i.e., the Qur'an] down upon your heart,
[O Muhammad], by permission of
God, confirming that which was before
it and as guidance and good tidings for
the believers."
98. Whoever is an enemy to God and His
angels and His messengers and Gabriel
and Michael - then indeed, God is an
enemy to the disbelievers.
99. And We have certainly revealed to you
verses [which are] clear proofs, and no
one would deny them except the de-
fiantly disobedient.
1 00. Is it not [true] that every time they took
a covenant a party of them threw it
away? But, [in fact], most of them do
not believe.
101. And when a messenger from God
came to them confirming that which
was with them, a party of those who
had been given the Scripture threw the
Scripture of God [i.e., the Torah] be-
hind their backs as if they did not know
[what it contained] .
102. And they followed [instead] what the
devils had recited during the reign of
Solomon. It was not Solomon who dis-
believed, but the devils disbelieved,
teaching people magic and that which
was revealed to the two angels at Baby-
lon, Harut and Marut. But they [i.e., the
two angels] do not teach anyone unless
they say, "We are a trial, so do not dis-
believe [by practicing magic]." 30 And
[yet] they learn from them that by
which they cause separation between a
man and his wife. But they do not harm
anyone through it except by permission
of God. And they [i.e., the people] learn
what harms them and does not benefit
them. But they [i.e., the Children of
Israel] certainly knew that whoever
purchased it [i.e., magic] would not
have in the Hereafter any share. And
wretched is that for which they sold
themselves, if they only knew.
30 They warn people against the misuse of what
they have learned.
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103. And if they had believed and feared
God, then the reward from God would
have been [far] better, if they only
knew.
104. O you who have believed, say not [to
God's Messenger], "Ra'ina" but say,
"Unthurna" 31 and listen. And for the
disbelievers is a painful punishment.
105. Neither those who disbelieve from the
People of the Scripture [i.e., the Jews
and Christians] nor the polytheists wish
that any good should be sent down to
you from your Lord. But God selects
for His mercy whom He wills, and God
is the possessor of great bounty.
106. We do not abrogate a verse or cause it
to be forgotten except that We bring
forth [one] better than it or similar to it.
Do you not know that God is over all
things competent?
107. Do you not know that to God belongs
the dominion of the heavens and the
earth and [that] you have not besides
God any protector or any helper?
108. Or do you intend to ask 32 your Mes-
senger as Moses was asked before? And
whoever exchanges faith for disbelief
has certainly strayed from the sound-
ness of the way.
109. Many of the People of the Scripture
wish they could turn you back to disbe-
31 The word "rd'ind" in Arabic literally means
"consider us," i.e., give us time to hear you and
listen to us. The Jews used to use the same word
with the meaning of an insult. Therefore, the
believers were ordered to avoid this expression
and use instead the word "itnthurnd" i.e., "wait
for us [so that we may understand]."
32 i.e., persistently question or, as in the case of
the disbelievers, demand a miracle of the Proph-
et.
lief after you have believed, out of envy
from themselves [even] after the truth
has become clear to them. So pardon
and overlook until God delivers His
command. Indeed, God is over all
things competent.
110. And establish prayer and give 2akah,
and whatever good you put forward for
yourselves - you will find it with God.
Indeed God, of what you do, is Seeing.
111. And they say, "None will enter Paradise
except one who is a Jew or a Chris-
tian." That is [merely] their wishful
thinking. Say, "Produce your proof, if
you should be truthful."
112. Yes, [on the contrary], whoever sub-
mits his face [i.e., self] in Islam to God
while being a doer of good will have his
reward with his Lord. And no fear will
there be concerning them, nor will they
grieve.
113. The Jews say, "The Christians have
nothing [true] to stand on," and the
Christians say, "The Jews have nothing
to stand on," although they [both] re-
cite the Scripture. Thus do those who
know not [i.e., the polytheists] speak
the same as their words. But God will
judge between them on the Day of Re-
surrection concerning that over which
they used to differ.
114. And who are more unjust than those
who prevent the name of God from
being mentioned [i.e., praised] in His
mosques and strive toward their de-
struction. It is not for them to enter
them except in fear. For them in this
world is disgrace, and they will have in
the Hereafter a great punishment.
115. And to God belongs the east and the
west. So wherever you [might] turn,
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there is the Face 33 of God. Indeed, God
is all-Encompassing and Knowing.
116. They say, "God has taken a son." Ex-
alted is He! 34 Rather, to Him belongs
whatever is in the heavens and the
earth. All are devoutly obedient to Him,
117. Originator of the heavens and the
earth. When He decrees a matter, He
only says to it, "Be," and it is.
118. Those who do not know say, "Why
does God not speak to us or there
come to us a sign?" Thus spoke those
before them like their words. Their
hearts resemble each other. We have
shown clearly the signs to a people who
are certain [in faith] .
119. Indeed, We have sent you, [O Mu-
hammad], with the truth as a bringer of
good tidings and a warner, and you will
not be asked about the companions of
Hellfire.
120. And never will the Jews and the Chris-
tians approve of you until you follow
their religion. Say, "Indeed, the guid-
ance of God is the [only] guidance." If
you were to follow their desires after
what has come to you of knowledge,
you would have against God no protec-
tor or helper.
121. Those to whom We have given the
Book recite it with its true recital. 35
They [are the ones who] believe in it.
And whoever disbelieves in it - it is
they who are the losers.
122. O Children of Israel, remember My
favor which I have bestowed upon you
33 See footnote to 2:19.
34 Subhdnahu means "far exalted is He above all
they falsely attribute to Him."
35 i.e., applying its teachings to their lives.
and that I preferred you over the
worlds.
123. And fear a Day when no soul will suf-
fice for another soul 36 at all, and no
compensation will be accepted from it,
nor will any intercession benefit it, nor
will they be aided.
124. And [mention, O Muhammad], when
Abraham was tried by his Lord with
words [i.e., commands] and he fulfilled
them. [God] said, "Indeed, I will make
you a leader for the people." [Abraham]
said, "And of my descendants?" [God]
said, "My covenant does not include
the wrongdoers."
125. And [mention] when We made the
House [i.e., the Ka'bah] a place of re-
turn for the people and [a place of] se-
curity. And take, [O believers], from
the standing place of Abraham a place
of prayer. And We charged Abraham
and Ishmael, [saying], "Purify My
House for those who perform tawaf 37
and those who are staying [there] for
worship and those who bow and pro-
strate [in prayer]."
126. And [mention] when Abraham said,
"My Lord, make this a secure city and
provide its people with fruits - whoever
of them believes in God and the Last
Day." [God] said. "And whoever disbe-
lieves - 1 will grant him enjoyment for a
litde; then I will force him to the pu-
nishment of the Fire, and wretched is
the destination."
127. And [mention] when Abraham was
raising the foundations of the House
and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], "Our
36 See footnote to 2:48.
37 A form of worship particular to the Ka'bah
consisting of going around it in circuits.
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Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed,
You are the Hearing, the Knowing.
128. Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in
submission] to You and from our des-
cendants a Muslim nation [in submis-
sion] to You. And show us our rites [of
hajj and 'umrah] and accept our repen-
tance. Indeed, You are the Accepting of
repentance, the Merciful.
129. Our Lord, and send among them a
messenger from themselves who will
recite to them Your verses and teach
them the Book and wisdom and purify
them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in
Mght, the Wise."
130. And who would be averse to the reli-
gion of Abraham except one who
makes a fool of himself. And We had
chosen him in this world, and indeed
he, in the Hereafter, will be among the
righteous.
131. When his Lord said to him, "Submit,"
he said, "I have submitted [in Islam] 38
to the Lord of the worlds."
132. And Abraham instructed his sons [to
do the same] and [so did] Jacob, [say-
ing], "O my sons, indeed God has cho-
sen for you this religion, so do not die
except while you are Muslims."
133. Or were you witnesses when death ap-
proached Jacob, when he said to his
sons, "What will you worship after
me?" They said, "We will worship your
God and the God of your fathers, Ab-
raham and Ishmael and Isaac - one
God. 39 And we are Muslims [in submis-
sion] to Him."
134. That was a nation which has passed on.
It will have [the consequence of] what
it earned, and you will have what you
have earned. And you will not be asked
about what they used to do.
135. They say, "Be Jews or Christians [so]
you will be guided." Say, "Rather, [we
follow] the religion of Abraham, inclin-
ing toward truth, and he was not of the
polytheists." 40
136. Say, [O believers], "We have believed in
God and what has been revealed to us
and what has been revealed to Abra-
ham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob
and the Descendants [al-Asbat] 41 and
what was given to Moses and Jesus and
what was given to the prophets from
their Lord. We make no distinction be-
tween any of them, and we are Muslims
[in submission] to Him."
137. So if they believe in the same as you
believe in, then they have been [rightly]
guided; but if they turn away, they are
only in dissension, and God will be suf-
ficient for you against them. And He is
the Hearing, the Knowing.
138. [And say, "Ours is] the religion of God.
And who is better than God in [ordain-
ing] religion? And we are worshippers
of Him."
139. Say, [O Muhammad], "Do you argue
with us about God while He is our
Lord and your Lord? For us are our
deeds, and for you are your deeds. And
38 The meaning of the word "Islam" is "submis-
sion to the will of God." This is the way of life
ordained by God and taught by all of the proph-
ets from Adam to Muhammad. A Muslim is one
who submits himself to God.
39 God alone.
40 Those who associate others with God in wor-
ship.
41 The twelve tribes of Israel descended from
Jacob.
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we are sincere [in deed and intention]
to Him."
140. Or do you say that Abraham and Ish-
mael and Isaac and Jacob and the Des-
cendants were Jews or Christians? Say,
"Are you more knowing or is God?"
And who is more unjust than one who
conceals a testimony 42 he has from
God? And God is not unaware of what
you do.
141. That is a nation which has passed on. It
will have [the consequence of] what it
earned, and you will have what you
have earned. And you will not be asked
about what they used to do.
142. The foolish among the people will say,
"What has turned them away from
their qiblah, 43 which they used to
face?" 44 Say, "To God belongs the east
and the west. He guides whom He wills
to a straight path."
143. And thus We have made you a median
[i.e., just] community that you will be
witnesses over the people and the Mes-
senger will be a witness over you. And
We did not make the qiblah which you
used to face except that We might
make evident who would follow the
Messenger from who would turn back
on his heels. And indeed, it is difficult
except for those whom God has
guided. And never would God have
caused you to lose your faith [i.e., your
42 Statements in previous scriptures attesting to
the nature of God's religion (Islam) and the com-
ing of Prophet Muhammad.
43 The direction faced in prayer.
44 Prior to the command (in verse 144) that the
Prophet and his followers turn toward the Ka'bdh
in Makkah for prayer, they had been facing Jeru-
salem to the north. The implications of this
change are mentioned in succeeding verses.
previous prayers]. Indeed God is, to the
people, Kind and Merciful.
144. We have certainly seen the turning of
your face, [O Muhammad], toward the
heaven, and We will surely turn you to
a qiblah with which you will be pleased.
So turn your face [i.e., yourself] toward
al-Masjid al-Haram. 45 And wherever
you [believers] are, turn your faces [i.e.,
yourselves] toward it [in prayer]. In-
deed, those who have been given the
Scripture [i.e., the Jews and the Chris-
tians] well know that it is the truth from
their Lord. And God is not unaware of
what they do.
145. And if you brought to those who were
given the Scripture every sign, they
would not follow your qiblah. Nor will
you be a follower of their qiblah. Nor
would they be followers of one anoth-
er's qiblah. So if you were to follow
their desires after what has come to you
of knowledge, indeed, you would then
be among the wrongdoers.
146. Those to whom We gave the Scripture
know him [i.e., Prophet Muhammad] as
they know their own sons. But indeed,
a party of them conceal the truth while
they know [it] .
147. The truth is from your Lord, so never
be among the doubters.
148. For each [religious following] is a
[prayer] direction toward which it faces.
So race to [all that is] good. Wherever
you may be, God will bring you forth
[for judgement] all together. Indeed,
God is over all things competent.
45 The Sacred Mosque in Makkah containing the
Ka'bdh.
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149. So from wherever you go out [for
prayer, O Muhammad], turn your face
toward al-Masjid al-Haram, and indeed,
it is the truth from your Lord. And
God is not unaware of what you do.
150. And from wherever you go out [for
prayer], turn your face toward al-Masjid
al-Haram. And wherever you [believers]
may be, turn your faces toward it in or-
der that the people will not have any
argument against you, except for those
of them who commit wrong; so fear
them not but fear Me. And [it is] so I
may complete My favor upon you and
that you may be guided,
151. Just as We have sent among you a mes-
senger from yourselves reciting to you
Our verses and purifying you and
teaching you the Book and wisdom 46
and teaching you that which you did
not know.
152. So remember Me; I will remember you.
And be grateful to Me and do not deny
Me.
153. O you who have believed, seek help
through patience and prayer. Indeed,
God is with the patient.
154. And do not say about those who are
killed in the way of God, "They are
dead." Rather, they are alive, but you
perceive [it] not.
155. And We will surely test you with some-
thing of fear and hunger and a loss of
wealth and lives and fruits, but give
good tidings to the patient,
156. Who, when disaster strikes them, say,
"Indeed we belong to God, and indeed
to Him we will return."
157. Those are the ones upon whom are
blessings from their Lord and mercy.
And it is those who are the [righdy]
guided.
158. Indeed, as-Safa and al-Marwah are
among the symbols 47 of God. So
whoever makes hajj [pilgrimage] to the
House or performs 'umrah - there is no
blame upon him for walking between
them. 48 And whoever volunteers good -
then indeed, God is Appreciative and
Knowing.
159. Indeed, those who conceal what We
sent down of clear proofs and guidance
after We made it clear for the people in
the Scripture - those are cursed by God
and cursed by those who curse, 49
160. Except for those who repent and cor-
rect themselves and make evident [what
they concealed]. Those - I will accept
their repentance, and I am the Accept-
ing of repentance, the Merciful.
161. Indeed, those who disbelieve and die
while they are disbelievers - upon them
will be the curse of God and of the an-
gels and the people, all together,
162. Abiding eternally therein. The punish-
ment will not be lightened for them,
nor will they be reprieved.
163. And your god is one God. There is no
deity [worthy of worship] except Him,
46 The wisdom taught by the Prophet is his sun-
nah.
47 Places designed for the rites of hajj and 'umrah.
48 Some believers had previously feared that this
might be a pagan practice, so God confirms that
sa'i'is among the rites of His religion.
49 From among the angels and the believers.
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the Entirely Merciful, the Especially
Merciful.
not follow the footsteps of Satan. In-
deed, he is to you a clear enemy.
164. Indeed, in the creation of the heavens
and the earth, and the alternation of the
night and the day, and the [great] ships
which sail through the sea with that
which benefits people, and what God
has sent down from the heavens of
rain, giving life thereby to the earth af-
ter its lifelessness and dispersing therein
every [kind of] moving creature, and
[His] directing of the winds and the
clouds controlled between the heaven
and earth are signs for a people who
use reason.
165. And [yet], among the people are those
who take other than God as equals [to
Him], They love them as they [should]
love God. But those who believe are
stronger in love for God. And if only
they who have wronged would consider
[that] when they see the punishment,
[they will be certain] that all power be-
longs to God and that God is severe in
punishment.
166. [And they should consider that] when
those who have been followed disasso-
ciate themselves from those who fol-
lowed [them], and they [all] see the pu-
nishment, and cut off from them are
the ties [of relationship],
167. Those who followed will say, "If only
we had another turn [at worldly life] so
we could disassociate ourselves from
them as they have disassociated them-
selves from us." Thus will God show
them their deeds as regrets upon them.
And they are never to emerge from the
Fire.
168. O mankind, eat from whatever is on
earth [that is] lawful and good and do
169. He only orders you to evil and immo-
rality and to say about God what you
do not know.
170. And when it is said to them, "Follow
what God has revealed," they say, "Ra-
ther, we will follow that which we
found our fathers doing." Even though
their fathers understood nothing, nor
were they guided?
171. The example of those who disbelieve is
like that of one who shouts at what
hears nothing but calls and cries [i.e.,
catde or sheep] - deaf, dumb and blind,
so they do not understand.
172. O you who have believed, eat from the
good [i.e., lawful] things which We have
provided for you and be grateful to
God if it is [indeed] Him that you wor-
ship.
173. He has only forbidden to you dead an-
imals, 50 blood, the flesh of swine, and
that which has been dedicated to other
than God. But whoever is forced [by
necessity], neither desiring [it] nor
transgressing [its limit], there is no sin
upon him. Indeed, God is Forgiving
and Merciful.
174. Indeed, they who conceal what God
has sent down of the Book and ex-
change it for a small price - those con-
sume not into their bellies except the
Fire. And God will not speak to them
on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He
purify them. And they will have a pain-
ful punishment.
50 Those not slaughtered or hunted expressly for
food.
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175. Those are the ones who have ex-
changed guidance for error and for-
giveness for punishment. How patient
they are for [i.e., in pursuit of] the Fire!
176. That is [deserved by them] because
God has sent down the Book in truth.
And indeed, those who differ over the
Book are in extreme dissension.
177. Righteousness is not that you turn your
faces toward the east or the west, but
[true] righteousness is [in] one who be-
lieves in God, the Last Day, the angels,
the Book, and the prophets and gives
wealth, in spite of love for it, to rela-
tives, orphans, the needy, the traveler,
those who ask [for help], and for free-
ing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer
and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their
promise when they promise; and [those
who] are patient in poverty and hard-
ship and during batde. Those are the
ones who have been true, and it is
those who are the righteous.
178. O you who have believed, prescribed
for you is legal retribution for those
murdered - the free for the free, the
slave for the slave, and the female for
the female. 51 But whoever overlooks
from his brother [i.e., the killer] any-
thing, 52 then there should be a suitable
follow-up and payment to him [i.e., the
deceased's heir or legal representative]
with good conduct. This is an allevia-
tion from your Lord and a mercy. But
whoever transgresses after that 53 will
have a painful punishment.
179. And there is for you in legal retribution
[saving of] life, O you [people] of un-
51 No one else should be executed in place of the
killer.
52 By accepting compensation payment rather
than execution.
53 After acceptance of compensation.
derstanding, that you may become righ-
teous.
180. Prescribed for you when death ap-
proaches [any] one of you if he leaves
wealth [is that he should make] a be-
quest for the parents and near relatives
according to what is acceptable - a duty
upon the righteous. 54
181. Then whoever alters it [i.e., the be-
quest] after he has heard it - the sin is
only upon those who have altered it.
Indeed, God is Hearing and Knowing.
182. But if one fears from the bequeather
[some] error or sin and corrects that
which is between them [i.e., the con-
cerned parties], there is no sin upon
him. Indeed, God is Forgiving and
Merciful.
183. O you who have believed, decreed
upon you is fasting as it was decreed
upon those before you that you may
become righteous -
184. [Fasting for] a limited number of days.
So whoever among you is ill or on a
journey [during them] - then an equal
number of days [are to be made up].
And upon those who are able [to fast,
but with hardship] - a ransom [as subs-
titute] of feeding a poor person [each
day]. And whoever volunteers good
[i.e., excess] - it is better for him. But to
fast is best for you, if you only knew.
185. The month of Ramadhan [is that] in
which was revealed the Qur'an, a guid-
ance for the people and clear proofs of
guidance and criterion. So whoever
54 This ruling was abrogated by the revelation in
Surah an-Nisd' stipulating obligatory shares for
parents and close relatives. Those who do not
inherit by law may be remembered in a bequest.
See 4:11-12.
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sights [the new moon of] the month, 55
let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a
journey - then an equal number of oth-
er days. God intends for you ease and
does not intend for you hardship and
[wants] for you to complete the period
and to glorify God for that [to] which
He has guided you; and perhaps you
will be grateful.
186. And when My servants ask you, [O
Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I
am near. I respond to the invocation of
the supplicant when he calls upon Me.
So let them respond to Me [by ob-
edience] and believe in Me that they
may be [rightly] guided.
187. It has been made permissible for you
the night preceding fasting to go to
your wives [for sexual relations]. They
are clothing for you and you are cloth-
ing for them. God knows that you used
to deceive yourselves, 36 so He accepted
your repentance and forgave you. So
now, have relations with them and seek
that which God has decreed for you
[i.e., offspring]. And eat and drink until
the white thread of dawn becomes dis-
tinct to you from the black thread [of
night]. Then complete the fast until the
night [i.e., sunset]. And do not have re-
lations with them as long as you are
staying for worship in the mosques.
These are the limits [set by] God, so do
not approach them. Thus does God
make clear His verses [i.e., ordinances]
to the people that they may become
righteous.
188. And do not consume one another's
wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to
55 Also, "whoever is present during the month."
56 Prior to this revelation, marital relations were
unlawful during nights preceding fasting. Some
were unable to refrain and secretly disobeyed, but
they did not deceive God.
the rulers in order that [they might aid]
you [to] consume a portion of the
wealth of the people in sin, while you
know [it is unlawful] .
189. They ask you, [O Muhammad], about
the new moons. Say, "They are mea-
surements of time for the people and
for hajj [pilgrimage]." And it is not
righteousness to enter houses from the
back, but righteousness is [in] one who
fears God. And enter houses from their
doors. And fear God that you may suc-
ceed.
190. Fight in the way of God those who
fight you but do not transgress. Indeed,
God does not like transgressors.
191. And kill them wherever you overtake
them and expel them from wherever
they have expelled you, and fitnah 57 is
worse than killing. And do not fight
them at al-Masjid al-Haram until they
fight you there. But if they fight you,
then kill them. Such is the recompense
of the disbelievers.
192. And if they cease, then indeed, God is
Forgiving and Merciful.
193. Fight them until there is no [more] fit-
nah 58 and [until] religion [i.e., worship]
is [acknowledged to be] for God. But if
they cease, then there is to be no ag-
gression [i.e., assault] except against the
oppressors.
194. [Fighting in] the sacred month is for
[aggression committed in] the sacred
month, 59 and for [all] violations is legal
"Disbelief and its imposition on others.
58 Among the meanings of fitnah are disbelief,
discord, dissension, civil strife, persecution, op-
pression, injustice, seduction, trial and torment.
59 The sacred months are Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-
Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab.
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retribution. So whoever has assaulted
you, then assault him in the same way
that he has assaulted you. And fear
God and know that God is with those
who fear Him.
195. And spend in the way of God and do
not throw [yourselves] with your [own]
hands into destruction [by refraining].
And do good; indeed, God loves the
doers of good.
196. And complete the hajj and 'umrah for
God. But if you are prevented, then
[offer] what can be obtained with ease
of sacrificial animals. And do not shave
your heads until the sacrificial animal
has reached its place of slaughter. And
whoever among you is ill or has an ail-
ment of the head [making shaving ne-
cessary must offer] a ransom of fasting
[three days] or charity 60 or sacrifice. 61
And when you are secure, 62 then
whoever performs 'umrah [during the
hajj months] 63 followed by hajj [offers]
what can be obtained with ease of sa-
crificial animals. And whoever cannot
find [or afford such an animal] - then a
fast of three days during hajj and of
seven when you have returned [home].
Those are ten complete [days]. This is
for those whose family is not in the
area of al-Masjid al-Haram. And fear
God and know that God is severe in
penalty.
197. Hajj is [during] well-known months, 64
so whoever has made hajj obligatory
upon himself therein [by entering the
state of ihram] , there is [to be for him]
60 Feeding six needy persons.
61 The slaughter of a sheep or goat.
62 Under normal conditions, i.e., are not pre-
vented.
63 The months of Shawwal, Dhul-Qa'dah and
Dhul-Hijjah.
64 See previous footnote.
no sexual relations and no disobedience
and no disputing during hajj. And
whatever good you do - God knows it.
And take provisions, but indeed, the
best provision is fear of God. And fear
Me, O you of understanding.
198. There is no blame upon you for seeking
bounty 65 from your Lord [during hajj].
But when you depart from Arafat, re-
member God at al-Masha'ar al-
Haram. 66 And remember Him, as He
has guided you, for indeed, you were
before that among those astray.
199. Then depart from the place from where
[all] the people depart and ask forgive-
ness of God. Indeed, God is Forgiving
and Merciful.
200. And when you have completed your
rites, remember God like your [pre-
vious] remembrance of your fathers or
with [much] greater remembrance. And
among the people is he who says, "Our
Lord, give us in this world," and he will
have in the Hereafter no share.
201. But among them is he who says, "Our
Lord, give us in this world [that which
is] good and in the Hereafter [that
which is] good and protect us from the
punishment of the Fire."
202. Those will have a share of what they
have earned, and God is swift in ac-
count.
203. And remember God during [specific]
numbered days. Then whoever hastens
[his departure] in two days - there is no
sin upon him; and whoever delays [until
the third] - there is no sin upon him -
for him who fears God. And fear God
65 i.e., profit from trade or business.
66 Which is in Muzdalifah.
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and know that unto Him you will be
gathered.
204. And of the people is he whose speech
pleases you in worldly life, and he calls
God to witness as to what is in his
heart, yet he is the fiercest of oppo-
nents.
205. And when he goes away, he strives
throughout the land to cause corrup-
tion therein and destroy crops and an-
imals. And God does not like corrup-
tion.
206. And when it is said to him, "Fear
God," pride in the sin takes hold of
him. Sufficient for him is Hellfire, and
how wretched is the resting place.
207. And of the people is he who sells him-
self, seeking means to the approval of
God. And God is kind to [His] ser-
vants.
208. O you who have believed, enter into
Islam completely [and perfectly] and do
not follow the footsteps of Satan. In-
deed, he is to you a clear enemy.
209. But if you slip [i.e., deviate] after clear
proofs have come to you, then know
that God is Exalted in Might and Wise.
210. Do they await but that God should
come to them in covers of clouds and
the angels [as well] and the matter is
[then] decided? And to God [all] mat-
ters are returned.
211. Ask the Children of Israel how many a
sign of evidence We have given them.
And whoever exchanges the favor of
God [for disbelief] after it has come to
him - then indeed, God is severe in pe-
nalty.
212. Beautified for those who disbelieve is
the life of this world, and they ridicule
those who believe. But those who fear
God are above them on the Day of Re-
surrection. And God gives provision to
whom He wills without account.
213. Mankind was [of] one religion [before
their deviation]; then God sent the
prophets as bringers of good tidings
and warners and sent down with them
the Scripture in truth to judge between
the people concerning that in which
they differed. And none differed over it
[i.e., the Scripture] except those who
were given it - after the clear proofs
came to them - out of jealous animosity
among themselves. And God guided
those who believed to the truth con-
cerning that over which they had dif-
fered, by His permission. And God
guides whom He wills to a straight
path.
214. Or do you think that you will enter Pa-
radise while such [trial] has not yet
come to you as came to those who
passed on before you? They were
touched by poverty and hardship and
were shaken until [even their] messen-
ger and those who believed with him
said, "When is the help of God?" Un-
questionably, the help of God is near.
215. They ask you, [O Muhammad], what
they should spend. Say, "Whatever you
spend of good is [to be] for parents and
relatives and orphans and the needy
and the traveler. And whatever you do
of good - indeed, God is Knowing of
it."
216. Fighting has been enjoined upon you
while it is hateful to you. But perhaps
you hate a thing and it is good for you;
and perhaps you love a thing and it is
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bad for you. And God knows, while
you know not.
217. They ask you about the sacred month 67
- about fighting therein. Say, "Fighting
therein is great [sin], but averting
[people] from the way of God and dis-
belief in Him and [preventing access to]
al-Masjid al-Haram and the expulsion
of its people therefrom are greater [evil]
in the sight of God. And fitnah 68 is
greater than killing." And they will con-
tinue to fight you until they turn you
back from your religion if they are able.
And whoever of you reverts from his
religion [to disbelief] and dies while he
is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds
have become worthless in this world
and the Hereafter, and those are the
companions of the Fire; they will abide
therein eternally.
218. Indeed, those who have believed and
those who have emigrated and fought
in the cause of God - those expect the
mercy of God. And God is Forgiving
and Merciful.
219. They ask you about wine 69 and gam-
bling. Say, "In them is great sin and
[yet, some] benefit for people. But their
sin is greater than their benefit." And
they ask you what they should spend.
Say, "The excess [beyond needs]." Thus
God makes clear to you the verses [of
revelation] that you might give thought
220. To this world and the Hereafter. And
they ask you about orphans. Say, "Im-
provement for them is best. And if you
mix your affairs with theirs - they are
your brothers. And God knows the
corrupter from the amender. And if
67 See footnote to 2:194.
68 See footnote to 2:193.
69 The word "kharm*' (wine) includes all intox-
icants. The final prohibition is given in 5:90-91.
God had willed, He could have put you
in difficulty. Indeed, God is Exalted in
Might and Wise."
221. And do not marry polytheistic women
until they believe. 70 And a believing
slave woman is better than a polytheist,
even though she might please you. And
do not marry polytheistic men [to your
women] until they believe. And a be-
lieving slave is better than a polytheist,
even though he might please you.
Those invite [you] to the Fire, but God
invites to Paradise and to forgiveness,
by His permission. And He makes clear
His verses [i.e., ordinances] to the
people that perhaps they may remem-
ber.
222. And they ask you about menstruation.
Say, "It is harm, so keep away from
wives 71 during menstruation. And do
not approach them until they are pure.
And when they have purified them-
selves, 72 then come to them from
where God has ordained for you. In-
deed, God loves those who are con-
stantly repentant and loves those who
purify themselves."
223. Your wives are a place of cultivation
[i.e., sowing of seed] for you, so come
to your place of cultivation however
you wish and put forth [righteousness]
for yourselves. And fear God and know
that you will meet Him. And give good
tidings to the believers.
224. And do not make [your oath by] God
an excuse against being righteous and
fearing God and making peace among
people. And God is Hearing and
Knowing.
1 i.e., worship and obey God alone.
i.e., refrain from sexual intercourse.
: By taking a complete bath (ghusl).
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225. God does not impose blame upon you
for what is unintentional in your oaths,
but He imposes blame upon you for
what your hearts have earned. And
God is Forgiving and Forbearing.
226. For those who swear not to have sexual
relations with their wives 73 is a waiting
time of four months, but if they return
[to normal relations] - then indeed,
God is Forgiving and Merciful.
227. And if they decide on divorce - then
indeed, God is Hearing and Knowing.
228. Divorced women remain in waiting
[i.e., do not remarry] for three pe-
riods, 74 and it is not lawful for them to
conceal what God has created in their
wombs if they believe in God and the
Last Day. And their husbands have
more right to take them back in this
[period] if they want reconciliation. 75
And due to them [i.e., the wives] is sim-
ilar to what is expected of them, ac-
cording to what is reasonable. 76 But the
men [i.e., husbands] have a degree over
them [in responsibility and authority].
And God is Exalted in Might and Wise.
229. Divorce is twice. Then [after that], ei-
ther keep [her] in an acceptable manner
or release [her] with good treatment.
And it is not lawful for you to take any-
thing of what you have given them un-
less both fear that they will not be able
73 Without divorcing them. By such an oath the
women is deprived of her right in marriage but is
not free to marry another. She may not be kept in
such a condition beyond the four-month limit.
74 Either menstrual periods or periods of purity
between menstruation. See also 65:1-7.
75 The husband may return her to himself during
the 'iddah period of a first and second divorce
without a new marriage contract.
76 The wife has specific rights upon her husband,
just as the husband has rights upon her.
to keep [within] the limits of God. 77
But if you fear that they will not keep
[within] the limits of God, then there is
no blame upon either of them concern-
ing that by which she ransoms herself.
These are the limits of God, so do not
transgress them. And whoever trans-
gresses the limits of God - it is those
who are the wrongdoers [i.e., the un-
just],
230. And if he has divorced her [for the
third time], then she is not lawful to
him afterward until [after] she marries a
husband other than him. 78 And if he
[i.e., the latter husband] divorces her [or
dies], there is no blame upon them [i.e.,
the woman and her former husband]
for returning to each other if they think
that they can keep [within] the limits of
God. These are the limits of God,
which He makes clear to a people who
know [i.e., understand].
231. And when you divorce women and
they have [nearly] fulfilled their term,
either retain them according to accept-
able terms or release them according to
acceptable terms, and do not keep
them, intending harm, to transgress
[against them]. And whoever does that
has certainly wronged himself. And do
not take the verses of God in jest. And
remember the favor of God upon you
and what has been revealed to you of
the Book [i.e., the Qur'an] and wisdom
[i.e., the Prophet's sunnah] by which
He instructs you. And fear God and
know that God is Knowing of all
things.
232. And when you divorce women" and
they have fulfilled their term, do not
77 i.e., deal fairly with each other.
78 With the intention of permanence, not merely
in order to return to the previous husband.
79 For the first or second time.
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prevent them from remarrying their
[former] husbands if they [i.e., all par-
ties] agree among themselves on an ac-
ceptable basis. That is instructed to
whoever of you believes in God and
the Last Day. That is better for you and
purer, and God knows and you know
not.
233. Mothers may nurse [i.e., breastfeed]
their children two complete years for
whoever wishes to complete the nurs-
ing [period]. Upon the father is their
[i.e., the mothers'] provision and their
clothing according to what is accepta-
ble. No person is charged with more
than his capacity. No mother should be
harmed through her child, and no fa-
ther through his child. And upon the
[father's] heir is [a duty] like that [of the
father] . And if they both desire weaning
through mutual consent from both of
them and consultation, there is no
blame upon either of them. And if you
wish to have your children nursed by a
substitute, there is no blame upon you
as long as you give payment according
to what is acceptable. And fear God
and know that God is Seeing of what
you do.
234. And those who are taken in death
among you and leave wives behind -
they, [the wives, shall] wait four months
and ten [days] . And when they have ful-
filled their term, then there is no blame
upon you for what they do with them-
selves in an acceptable manner. 80 And
God is [fully] Acquainted with what
you do.
235. There is no blame upon you for that to
which you [indirectly] allude concerning
a proposal to women or for what you
conceal within yourselves. God knows
1 They may remarry if they wish.
that you will have them in mind. But do
not promise them secredy except for
saying a proper saying. And do not de-
termine to undertake a marriage con-
tract until the decreed period 81 reaches
its end. And know that God knows
what is within yourselves, so beware of
Him. And know that God is Forgiving
and Forbearing.
236. There is no blame upon you if you di-
vorce women you have not touched 82
nor specified for them an obligation. 83
But give them [a gift of] compensation
- the wealthy according to his capability
and the poor according to his capability
- a provision according to what is ac-
ceptable, a duty upon the doers of
good.
237. And if you divorce them before you
have touched them and you have al-
ready specified for them an obligation,
then [give] half of what you specified -
unless they forego the right or the one
in whose hand is the marriage contract
foregoes it. And to forego it is nearer to
righteousness. And do not forget gra-
ciousness between you. Indeed God, of
whatever you do, is Seeing.
238. Maintain with care the [obligatory]
prayers and [in particular] the middle
[i.e., 'asr] prayer and stand before God,
devoutly obedient.
239. And if you fear [an enemy, then pray]
on foot or riding. But when you are se-
cure, then remember God [in prayer],
as He has taught you that which you
did not [previously] know.
81 The 'iddab (bereavement period) after the death
of a husband.
82 The marriage has not been consummated.
83 Require bridal gift (mahr).
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240. And those who are taken in death
among you and leave wives behind -
for their wives is a bequest: mainten-
ance for one year without turning
[them] out. But if they leave [of their
own accord], then there is no blame
upon you for what they do with them-
selves in an acceptable way. 84 And God
is Exalted in Might and Wise.
241 . And for divorced women is a provision
according to what is acceptable - a duty
upon the righteous.
242. Thus does God make clear to you His
verses [i.e., laws] that you might use
reason.
243. Have you not considered those who
left their homes in many thousands,
fearing death? God said to them,
"Die"; then He restored them to life.
And God is full of bounty to the
people, but most of the people do not
show gratitude.
244. And fight in the cause of God and
know that God is Hearing and Know-
ing.
245. Who is it that would loan God a goodly
loan so He may multiply it for him
many times over? And it is God who
withholds and grants abundance, and to
Him you will be returned.
246. Have you not considered the assembly
of the Children of Israel after [the time
of] Moses when they said to a prophet
of theirs, "Send to us a king, and we
will fight in the way of God?" He said,
"Would you perhaps refrain from fight-
ing if fighting was prescribed for you?"
They said, "And why should we not
fight in the cause of God when we have
been driven out from our homes and
from our children?" But when fighting
was prescribed for them, they turned
away, except for a few of them. And
God is Knowing of the wrongdoers.
247. And their prophet said to them, "In-
deed, God has sent to you Saul as a
king." They said, "How can he have
kingship over us while we are more
worthy of kingship than him and he has
not been given any measure of wealth?"
He said, "Indeed, God has chosen him
over you and has increased him abun-
dantly in knowledge and stature. And
God gives His sovereignty to whom He
wills. And God is all-Encompassing [in
favor] and Knowing."
248. And their prophet said to them, "In-
deed, a sign of his kingship is that the
chest will come to you in which is as-
surance 85 from your Lord and a rem-
nant of what the family of Moses and
the family of Aaron had left, carried by
the angels. Indeed in that is a sign for
you, if you are believers."
249. And when Saul went forth with the
soldiers, he said, "Indeed, God will be
testing you with a river. So whoever
drinks from it is not of me, and whoev-
er does not taste it is indeed of me, ex-
cepting one who takes [from it] in the
hollow of his hand." But they drank
from it, except a [very] few of them.
Then when he had crossed it along
with those who believed with him, they
said, "There is no power for us today
against Goliath and his soldiers." But
those who were certain that they would
meet God said, "How many a small
company has overcome a large compa-
84 This directive was abrogated by those later
revealed in 2:234 and 4:12.
85 Signs giving reassurance.
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ny by permission of God. And God is
with the patient."
250. And when they went forth to [face]
Goliath and his soldiers, they said,
"Our Lord, pour upon us patience and
plant firmly our feet and give us victory
over the disbelieving people."
251. So they defeated them by permission of
God, and David killed Goliath, and
God gave him the kingship and wis-
dom [i.e., prophethood] and taught him
from that which He willed. And if it
were not for God checking [some]
people by means of others, the earth
would have been corrupted, but God is
full of bounty to the worlds.
252. These are the verses of God which We
recite to you, [O Muhammad], in truth.
And indeed, you are from among the
messengers.
253. Those messengers - some of them We
caused to exceed others. Among them
were those to whom God spoke, and
He raised some of them in degree. And
We gave Jesus, the Son of Mary, clear
proofs, and We supported him with the
Pure Spirit [i.e., Gabriel]. If God had
willed, those [generations] succeeding
them would not have fought each other
after the clear proofs had come to
them. But they differed, and some of
them believed and some of them disbe-
lieved. And if God had willed, they
would not have fought each other, but
God does what He intends.
254. O you who have believed, spend from
that which We have provided for you
before there comes a Day in which
there is no exchange [i.e., ransom] and
no friendship and no intercession. And
the disbelievers - they are the wrong-
doers.
255. God - there is no deity except Him, the
Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] exis-
tence. Neither drowsiness overtakes
Him nor sleep. To Him belongs what-
ever is in the heavens and whatever is
on the earth. Who is it that can inter-
cede with Him except by His permis-
sion? He knows what is [presently] be-
fore them and what will be after
them, 86 and they encompass not a thing
of His knowledge except for what He
wills. His Kursi 87 extends over the hea-
vens and the earth, and their preserva-
tion tires Him not. And He is the Most
High, the Most Great.
256. There shall be no compulsion in [ac-
ceptance of] the religion. The right
course has become clear from the
wrong. So whoever disbelieves in
taghut 88 and believes in God has
grasped the most trustworthy handhold
with no break in it. And God is Hear-
ing and Knowing.
257. God is the ally 89 of those who believe.
He brings them out from darknesses
into the light. And those who disbelieve
- their allies are taghut. They take them
out of the light into darknesses. 90
Those are the companions of the Fire;
they will abide eternally therein.
258. Have you not considered the one who
argued with Abraham about his Lord
[merely] because God had given him
kingship? When Abraham said, "My
86 God's knowledge encompasses every aspect of
His creations in the past, present and future.
87 Chair or footstool. It is not to be confused with
al-'Arsh (the Throne), which is infinitely higher
and greater than al-Kursi.
88 False objects of worship, such as idols, heaven-
ly bodies, sprits, human beings, etc.
89 i.e., patron and supporter.
90 The light of truth is one, while the darkness of
disbelief, doubt and error are many.
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Lord is the one who gives life and
causes death," he said, "I give life and
cause death." Abraham said, "Indeed,
God brings up the sun from the east,
so bring it up from the west." So the
disbeliever was overwhelmed [by asto-
nishment], and God does not guide the
wrongdoing people.
259. Or [consider such an example] as the
one who passed by a township which
had fallen into ruin. He said, "How will
God bring this to life after its death?"
So God caused him to die for a hun-
dred years; then He revived him. He
said, "How long have you remained?"
He [the man] said, "I have remained a
day or part of a day." He said, "Rather,
you have remained one hundred years.
Look at your food and your drink; it
has not changed with time. And look at
your donkey; and We will make you a
sign for the people. And look at the
bones [of this donkey] - how We raise
them and then We cover them with
flesh." And when it became clear to
him, he said, "I know that God is over
all things competent."
260. And [mention] when Abraham said,
"My Lord, show me how You give life
to the dead." [God] said, "Have you
not believed?" He said, "Yes, but [I
ask] only that my heart may be satis-
fied." [God] said, "Take four birds and
commit them to yourself. 91 Then [after
slaughtering them] put on each hill a
portion of them; then call them - they
will come [flying] to you in haste. And
know that God is Exalted in Might and
Wise."
261. The example of those who spend their
wealth in the way of God is like a seed
[of grain] which grows seven spikes; in
i.e., train them to come to you on command.
each spike is a hundred grains. And
God multiplies [His reward] for whom
He wills. And God is all-Encompassing
and Knowing.
262. Those who spend their wealth in the
way of God and then do not follow up
what they have spent with reminders
[of it] or [other] injury will have their
reward with their Lord, and there will
be no fear concerning them, nor will
they grieve.
263. Kind speech and forgiveness are better
than charity followed by injury. And
God is Free of need and Forbearing.
264. O you who have believed, do not inva-
lidate your charities with reminders [of
it] or injury as does one who spends his
wealth [only] to be seen by the people
and does not believe in God and the
Last Day. His example is like that of a
[large] smooth stone upon which is
dust and is hit by a downpour that
leaves it bare. They are unable [to keep]
anything of what they have earned. And
God does not guide the disbelieving
people.
265. And the example of those who spend
their wealth seeking means to the ap-
proval of God and assuring [reward
for] themselves is like a garden on high
ground which is hit by a downpour - so
it yields its fruits in double. And [even]
if it is not hit by a downpour, then a
dri22le [is sufficient]. And God, of what
you do, is Seeing.
266. Would one of you like to have a garden
of palm trees and grapevines under-
neath which rivers flow in which he has
from every fruit? But he is afflicted
with old age and has weak [i.e., imma-
ture] offspring, and it is hit by a whirl-
wind containing fire and is burned.
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Thus does God make clear to you [His]
verses that you might give thought.
267. O you who have believed, spend from
the good things which you have earned
and from that which We have pro-
duced for you from the earth. And do
not aim toward the defective there-
from, spending [from that] while you
would not take it [yourself] except with
closed eyes. And know that God is
Free of need and Praiseworthy.
268. Satan threatens you with poverty and
orders you to immorality, while God
promises you forgiveness from Him
and bounty. And God is all-
Encompassing and Knowing.
269. He gives wisdom 92 to whom He wills,
and whoever has been given wisdom
has certainly been given much good.
And none will remember except those
of understanding.
270. And whatever you spend of expendi-
tures or make of vows - indeed, God
knows of it. And for the wrongdoers
there are no helpers.
271. If you disclose your charitable expendi-
tures, they are good; but if you conceal
them and give them to the poor, it is
better for you, and He will remove
from you some of your misdeeds [the-
reby]. And God, with what you do, is
[fully] Acquainted.
272. Not upon you, [O Muhammad], is [re-
sponsibility for] their guidance, but
God guides whom He wills. And what-
ever good you [believers] spend is for
yourselves, and you do not spend ex-
cept seeking the countenance of God.
And whatever you spend of good 93 - it
will be fully repaid to you, and you will
not be wronged.
273. [Charity is] for the poor who have been
restricted for the cause of God, unable
to move about in the land. An ignorant
[person] would think them self-
sufficient because of their restraint, but
you will know them by their [characte-
ristic] sign. They do not ask people per-
sistently [or at all]. And whatever you
spend of good - indeed, God is Know-
ing of it.
274. Those who spend their wealth [in
God's way] by night and by day, secret-
ly and publicly - they will have their re-
ward with their Lord. And no fear will
there be concerning them, nor will they
grieve.
275. Those who consume interest 94 cannot
stand [on the Day of Resurrection] ex-
cept as one stands who is being beaten
by Satan into insanity. That is because
they say, "Trade is [just] like interest."
But God has permitted trade and has
forbidden interest. So whoever has re-
ceived an admonition from his Lord
and desists may have what is past, and
his affair rests with God. But whoever
returns [to dealing in interest or usury] -
those are the companions of the Fire;
they will abide eternally therein.
276. God destroys interest and gives in-
crease for charities. And God does not
like every sinning disbeliever.
277. Indeed, those who believe and do righ-
teous deeds and establish prayer and
give 2akah will have their reward with
92 The knowledge and understanding of the reli-
gion and of the Qur'an.
93 i.e, wealth, property, resources, time, effort, etc.
94 Included is that given on commercial as well as
consumer loans.
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their Lord, and there will be no fear
concerning them, nor will they grieve.
278. O you who have believed, fear God
and give up what remains [due to you]
of interest, if you should be believers.
279. And if you do not, then be informed of
a war [against you] from God and His
Messenger. But if you repent, you may
have your principal - [thus] you do no
wrong, nor are you wronged.
280. And if someone is in hardship, then [let
there be] postponement until [a time
of] ease. But if you give [from your
right as] charity, then it is better for
you, if you only knew.
281. And fear a Day when you will be re-
turned to God. Then every soul will be
compensated for what it earned, and
they will not be wronged [i.e., treated
unjustly] .
282. O you who have believed, when you
contract a debt for a specified term,
write it down. And let a scribe write [it]
between you in justice. Let no scribe
refuse to write as God has taught him.
So let him write and let the one who
has the obligation [i.e., the debtor] dic-
tate. And let him fear God, his Lord,
and not leave anything out of it. But if
the one who has the obligation is of li-
mited understanding or weak or unable
to dictate himself, then let his guardian
dictate in justice. And bring to witness
two witnesses from among your men.
And if there are not two men [availa-
ble], then a man and two women from
those whom you accept as witnesses -
so that if one of them [i.e., the women]
errs, then the other can remind her.
And let not the witnesses refuse when
they are called upon. And do not be
[too] weary to write it, whether it is
small or large, for its [specified] term.
That is more just in the sight of God
and stronger as evidence and more like-
ly to prevent doubt between you, ex-
cept when it is an immediate transac-
tion which you conduct among your-
selves. For [then] there is no blame
upon you if you do not write it. And
take witnesses when you conclude a
contract. Let no scribe be harmed or
any witness. For if you do so, indeed, it
is [grave] disobedience in you. And fear
God. And God teaches you. And God
is Knowing of all things.
283. And if you are on a journey and cannot
find a scribe, then a security deposit
[should be] taken. And if one of you
entrusts another, then let him who is
entrusted discharge his trust [faithfully]
and let him fear God, his Lord. And do
not conceal testimony, for whoever
conceals it - his heart is indeed sinful,
and God is Knowing of what you do.
284. To God belongs whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is in the earth.
Whether you show what is within your-
selves or conceal it, God will bring you
to account for it. Then He will forgive
whom He wills and punish whom He
wills, and God is over all things compe-
tent.
285. The Messenger has believed in what
was revealed to him from his Lord, and
[so have] the believers. All of them
have believed in God and His angels
and His books and His messengers,
[saying], "We make no distinction be-
tween any of His messengers." And
they say, "We hear and we obey. [We
seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and
to You is the [final] destination."
286. God does not charge a soul except
[with that within] its capacity. It will
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have [the consequence of] what [good]
it has gained, and it will bear [the con-
sequence of] what [evil] it has earned.
"Our Lord, do not impose blame upon
us if we have forgotten or erred. Our
Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like
that which You laid upon those before
us. Our Lord, and burden us not with
that which we have no ability to bear.
And pardon us; and forgive us; and
have mercy upon us. You are our pro-
tector, so give us victory over the dis-
believing people." 95
95 God concludes this surah by directing His ser-
vants how to supplicate Him, just as He taught
them in surah al-Fdtihah how to praise Him and
ask for guidance.
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Surah 3: Ale-'Imran
The Period of Revelation
This Surah consists of four discourses: The first discourse (v. 1-32) was probably revealed soon after the
Battle of Badr. The second discourse (v. 33-63) was revealed in 9 A.H. on the occasion of the visit of the
deputation from the Christians of Najran. The third discourse (v. 64-120) appears to have been revealed im-
mediately after the first one. The fourth discourse (v. 121-200) was revealed after the Battle of Uhud.
Subject
Though these discourses were revealed at different periods and on different occasions they are so inter-
linked and so inter-connected in regard to their central theme that they make together one continuous whole.
This Surah has been especially addressed to two groups; the people of the Book (the Jews and the Christians)
and the followers of Muhammad.
The message has been extended to the Jews and the Christians in continuation of the invitation in Surah 2:
Al-Baqarah in which they have been admonished for their erroneous beliefs and evil morals and advised to
accept as a remedy the Truth of the Qur'an. They have been told here that Muhammad taught the same right
way of life that had been preached by their own Prophets; that it alone was the Right Way, the way of God;
hence any deviation from it will be wrong even according to their own Scriptures.
The second group, the Muslims who had been declared to be the best Community in Al-Baqarah and ap-
pointed torch-bearers of the Truth, were entrusted with the responsibility of reforming the world have been
given additional instructions in continuation of those given in the preceding Surah. The Muslims have been
warned to learn a lesson from the religious and moral degeneration of the former communities and to refrain
from treading in their footsteps. Instructions have also been given about the reformative work they had to
perform. Besides this they have been taught how to deal with the people of the Book and the hypocrites who
were putting different kinds of hindrances in the way of God. Above all they have been warned to guard
against those weaknesses which had come to the surface in the Battle Uhud.
Background
The following is the background of the Surah:
1. The Believers had met with all sorts of trials and hardships about which they had been forewarned
in Al-Baqarah. Though they had come out victorious in the Battle of Badr they were not out of
danger yet. Their victory had aroused the enmity of all those powers in Arabia which were opposed
to the Islamic Movement. Signs of threatening storms had begun to appear on all sides and the
Muslims were in a perpetual state of fear and anxiety. It looked as if the whole Arabian world
around the tiny state of Madinah - which was no more than a village state at that time - was bent
upon blotting out its very existence. This state of war was also adversely affecting its economy
which had already been badly disturbed by the influx of the Muslim refugees from Makkah.
2. Then there was the disturbing problem of the Jewish clans who lived in the suburbs of Madinah.
They were discarding the treaties of alliance they had made with the Prophet after his migration
from Makkah. So much so that on the occasion of the Battle of Badr these people of the Book
sympathized with the evil aims of the idolaters in spite of the fact that their fundamental articles of
Faith - Oneness of God, Prophethood and Life-after-death - were the same as those of the Mus-
lims. After the Battle of Badr they openly began to incite the Quraysh and other Arab clans to
wreak their vengeance on the Muslims. Thus those Jewish clans set aside their centuries-old friendly
and neighborly relations with the people of Madinah. At last when their mischievous actions and
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breaches of treaties became unbearable the Prophet attacked the Bani-Qaynuqah, the most mi-
schievous of all the other Jewish clans who had conspired with the hypocrites of Madinah and the
idolatrous Arab clans to encircle the Believers on all sides. The magnitude of the peril might be
judged from the fact that even the life of the Prophet himself was always in danger. Therefore his
Companions slept in their armors during that period and kept watch at night to guard against any
sudden attack and whenever the Prophet happened to be out of sight even for a short while they
would at once set out in search of him.
3. This incitement by the Jews added fuel to the fire which was burning in the hearts of the Quraysh
and they began to make preparations to avenge the defeat they had suffered at Badr. A year after
this an army of 3000 strong marched out of Makkah to invade Madinah and a battle took place at
the foot of Mount Uhud. The Prophet came out of Madinah with one thousand men to meet the
enemy. While they were marching to the battlefield three hundred hypocrites deserted the army and
returned to Madinah but there still remained a small band of hypocrites among the seven hundred
who accompanied the Prophet. They played their part and did their worst to create mischief and
chaos in the ranks of the Believers during the Battle. This was the first clear indication of the fact
that within the fold of the Muslim Community there was quite a large number of saboteurs who
were always ready to conspire with the external enemies to harm their own brethren.
4. Though the devices of the hypocrites had played a great part in the set-back at Uhud the weak-
nesses of the Muslims themselves contributed no less to it. And it was but natural that the Muslims
should show signs of moral weakness for they were a new community which had only recently been
formed on a new ideology and had not as yet got a thorough moral training. Naturally in this
second hard test of their physical and moral strength some weaknesses came to the surface. That is
why a detailed review of the Battle of Uhud was needed to warn the Muslims of their shortcomings
and to issue instructions for their reform. It should also be noted that this review of the Battle is
quite different from the reviews that are usually made by generals on similar occasions.
Subject: Guidance
This Surah is the sequel to Al-Baqarah and the invitation therein is continued to the people of the Book. In
Al-Baqarah the Jews were pointedly invited to accept the Guidance and in this Surah the Christians have
particularly been admonished to give up their erroneous beliefs and accept the Guidance of the Qur'an. At
the same time the Muslims have been instructed to nourish the virtues that may enable them to carry out
their obligations and spread the Divine Guidance.
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Surah 3: Ali-'Imran 96
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. Alif, Lam, Meem. 97
2. God - there is no deity except Him, the
Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence.
3. He has sent down upon you, [O Mu-
hammad], the Book in truth, confirm-
ing what was before it. And He re-
vealed the Torah and the Gospel.
4. Before, as guidance for the people. And
He revealed the Criterion [i.e., the
Qur'an], Indeed, those who disbelieve
in the verses of God will have a severe
punishment, and God is Exalted in
Mght, the Owner of Retribution.
5. Indeed, from God nothing is hidden in
the earth nor in the heaven.
6. It is He who forms you in the wombs
however He wills. There is no deity ex-
cept Him, the Exalted in Might, the
Wise.
7. It is He who has sent down to you, [O
Muhammad], the Book; in it are verses
[that are] precise — they are the founda-
tion of the Book — and others unspecif-
ied 8 As for those in whose hearts is
deviation [from truth], they will follow
that of it which is unspecific, seeking
discord and seeking an interpretation
[suitable to them]. And no one knows
its [true] interpretation except God. But
those firm in knowledge say, "We be-
96 AJi- 'Imran: The family of 'Imran.
97 See footnote to 2:1.
98 Those which are stated in such a way that they
are open to more than one interpretation or
whose meaning is known only to God, such as
the opening letters on certain surahs.
lieve in it. All [of it] is from our Lord."
And no one will be reminded except
those of understanding,
8. [Who say], "Our Lord, let not our
hearts deviate after You have guided us
and grant us from Yourself mercy. In-
deed, You are the Bestower.
9. Our Lord, surely You will gather the
people for a Day about which there is
no doubt. Indeed, God does not fail in
His promise."
10. Indeed, those who disbelieve - never
will their wealth or their children avail
them against God at all. And it is they
who are fuel for the Fire.
1 1 . [Theirs is] like the custom of the people
of Pharaoh and those before them.
They denied Our signs, so God seized
them for their sins. And God is severe
in penalty.
12. Say to those who disbelieve, "You will
be overcome and gathered together to
Hell, and wretched is the resting place."
13. Already there has been for you a sign in
the two armies which met [in combat at
Badr] — one fighting in the cause of
God and another of disbelievers. They
saw them [to be] twice their [own]
number by [their] eyesight. 99 But God
supports with His victory whom He
wills. Indeed in that is a lesson for
those of vision.
14. Beautified for people is the love of that
which they desire — of women and
sons, heaped-up sums of gold and sil-
ver, fine branded horses, and catde and
tilled land. That is the enjoyment of
99 The believers saw the disbelievers to be double
their own number proceeding the battle of Badr,
while, in fact, they were three times their number.
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worldly life, but God has with Him the
best return [i.e, Paradise] .
15. Say, "Shall I inform you of [something]
better than that? For those who fear
God will be gardens in the presence of
their Lord beneath which rivers flow,
wherein they abide eternally, and puri-
fied spouses and approval from God.
And God is Seeing [i.e., aware] of [His]
servants —
16. Those who say, "Our Lord, indeed we
have believed, so forgive us our sins
and protect us from the punishment of
the Fire,"
17. The patient, the true, the obedient,
those who spend [in the way of God],
and those who seek forgiveness before
dawn.
18. God witnesses that there is no deity
except Him, and [so do] the angels and
those of knowledge - [that He is] main-
taining [creation] in justice. There is no
deity except Him, the Exalted in Might,
the Wise.
19. Indeed, the religion in the sight of God
is Islam. And those who were given the
Scripture did not differ except after
knowledge had come to them — out of
jealous animosity between themselves.
And whoever disbelieves in the verses
of God, then indeed, God is swift in
[taking] account.
20. So if they argue with you, say, "I have
submitted myself to God [in Islam],
and [so have] those who follow me."
And say to those who were given the
Scripture and [to] the unlearned, 100
"Have you submitted yourselves?" And
if they submit [in Islam], they are rightly
100 Those who had no scripture (i.e., the pagans).
guided; but if they turn away — then
upon you is only the [duty of] notifica-
tion. And God is Seeing of [His] ser-
vants.
21. Those who disbelieve in the signs of
God and kill the prophets without right
and kill those who order justice from
among the people — give them tidings
of a painful punishment.
22. They are the ones whose deeds have
become worthless in this world and the
Hereafter, and for them there will be
no helpers.
23. Do you not consider, [O Muhammad],
those who were given a portion of the
Scripture? They are invited to the Scrip-
ture of God that it should arbitrate be-
tween them; 101 then a party of them
turns away, and they are refusing.
24. That is because they say, "Never will
the Fire touch us except for [a few]
numbered days," and [because] they
were deluded in their religion by what
they were inventing.
25. So how will it be when We assemble
them for a Day about which there is no
doubt? And each soul will be compen-
sated [in full for] what it earned, and
they will not be wronged.
26. Say, "O God, Owner of Sovereignty,
You give sovereignty to whom You will
and You take sovereignty away from
whom You will. You honour whom
You will and You humble whom You
will. In Your hand 102 is [all] good. In-
101 Referring to the Jews of Madinah who refused
to implement the rulings given by God in the
Torah or to acknowledge the Prophet, whose
coming was mentioned therein.
102 See footnote to 2:19.
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deed, You are over all things compe-
tent.
27. You cause the night to enter the day,
and You cause the day to enter the
night; and You bring the living out of
the dead, and You bring the dead out
of the living. And You give provision
to whom You will without account [i.e.,
limit or measure]."
28. Let not believers take disbelievers as
allies [i.e., supporters or protectors] ra-
ther than believers. And whoever [of
you] does that has nothing [i.e., no as-
sociation] with God, except when tak-
ing precaution against them in pru-
dence. 103 And God warns you of Him-
self, and to God is the [final] destina-
tion.
29. Say, "Whether you conceal what is in
your breasts or reveal it, God knows it.
And He knows that which is in the
heavens and that which is on the earth.
And God is over all things competent.
30. The Day every soul will find what it has
done of good present [before it] and
what it has done of evil, it will wish that
between itself and that [evil] was a great
distance. And God warns you of Him-
self, and God is Kind to [His] ser-
vants."
31. Say, [O Muhammad], "If you should
love God, then follow me, [so] God
will love you and forgive you your sins.
And God is Forgiving and Merciful."
32. Say, "Obey God and the Messenger."
But if they turn away — then indeed,
God does not like the disbelievers.
103 When fearing harm from an enemy, the be-
liever may pretend as long as his heart and inten-
tion are not effected.
33. Indeed, God chose Adam and Noah
and the family of Abraham and the
family of 'Imran over the worlds —
34. Descendants, some of them from oth-
ers. And God is Hearing and Knowing.
35. [Mention, O Muhammad], when the
wife of 'Imran said, "My Lord, indeed I
have pledged to You what is in my
womb, consecrated [for Your service],
so accept this from me. Indeed, You
are the Hearing, the Knowing."
36. But when she delivered her, she said,
"My Lord, I have delivered a female."
And God was most knowing of what
she delivered, and the male is not like
the female. "And I have named her
Mary, and I seek refuge for her in You
and [for] her descendants from Satan,
the expelled [from the mercy of God]."
37. So her Lord accepted her with good
acceptance and caused her to grow in a
good manner and put her in the care of
Zechariah. Every time Zechariah en-
tered upon her in the prayer chamber,
he found with her provision. He said,
"O Mary, from where is this [coming]
to you?" She said, "It is from God. In-
deed, God provides for whom He wills
without account."
38. At that, Zechariah called upon his
Lord, saying, "My Lord, grant me from
Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You
are the Hearer of supplication."
39. So the angels called him while he was
standing in prayer in the chamber, "In-
deed, God gives you good tidings of
John, confirming a word 104 from God
and [who will be] honourable, abstain-
104 Referring to the Prophet Jesus, who was con-
ceived merley by a command from God — the
word "Be".
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ing [from women], and a prophet from
among the righteous."
40. He said, "My Lord, how will I have a
boy when I have reached old age and
my wife is barren?" He [the angel] said,
"Such is God; He does what He wills."
41. He said, "My Lord, make for me a
sign." He said, "Your sign is that you
will not [be able to] speak to the people
for three days except by gesture. And
remember your Lord much and exalt
[Him with praise] in the evening and
the morning."
42. And [mention] when the angels said,
"O Mary, indeed God has chosen you
and purified you and chosen you above
the women of the worlds.
43. O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your
Lord and prostrate and bow with those
who bow [in prayer]."
44. That is from the news of the unseen
which We reveal to you, [O Muham-
mad]. And you were not with them
when they cast their pens 105 as to which
of them should be responsible for
Mary. Nor were you with them when
they disputed.
45. [And mention] when the angels said,
"O Mary, indeed God gives you good
tidings of a word 106 from Him, whose
name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son
of Mary — distinguished in this world
and the Hereafter and among those
brought near [to God].
46. He will speak to the people in the
cradle and in maturity and will be of the
righteous."
47. She said, "My Lord, how will I have a
child when no man has touched me?"
[The angel] said, "Such is God; He
creates what He wills. When He de-
crees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,'
and it is.
48. And He will teach him writing and wis-
dom 107 and the Torah and the Gospel
49. And [make him] a messenger to the
Children of Israel, [who will say], 'In-
deed I have come to you with a sign
from your Lord in that I design for you
from clay [that which is] like the form
of a bird, then I breathe into it and it
becomes a bird by permission of God.
And I cure the blind [from birth] and
the leper, and I give life to the dead —
by permission of God. And I inform
you of what you eat and what you store
in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign
for you, if you are believers.
50. And [I have come] confirming what
was before me of the Torah and to
make lawful for you some of what was
forbidden to you. And I have come to
you with a sign from your Lord, so fear
God and obey me.
5 1 . Indeed, God is my Lord and your Lord,
so worship Him. That is the straight
path.' "
52. But when Jesus felt [persistence in] dis-
belief from them, he said, "Who are my
supporters for [the cause of] God?"
The disciples said, "We are supporters
for God. We have believed in God and
testify that we are Muslims [submitting
to Him],
53. Our Lord, we have believed in what
You revealed and have followed the
105 i.e., threw lots.
106 See footnote to 3:39.
107 The teachings of the prophets.
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54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
messenger [i.e., Jesus], so register us
among the witnesses [to truth]."
And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned,
but God planned. And God is the best
of planners.
[Mention] when God said, "O Jesus,
indeed I will take you and raise you to
Myself and purify [i.e., free] you from
those who disbelieve and make those
who follow you [in submission to God
alone] superior to those who disbelieve
until the Day of Resurrection. Then to
Me is your return, and I will judge be-
tween you concerning that in which
you used to differ.
And as for those who disbelieved, I will
punish them with a severe punishment
in this world and the Hereafter, and
they will have no helpers."
But as for those who believed and did
righteous deeds, He will give them in
full their rewards, and God does not
like the wrongdoers.
This is what We recite to you, [O Mu-
hammad], of [Our] verses and the pre-
cise [and wise] message [i.e., the
Qur'an] .
Indeed, the example of Jesus to God 108
is like that of Adam. He created him
from dust; then He said to him, "Be,"
and he was.
The truth is from your Lord, so
be among the doubters.
do not
Then whoever argues with you about it
after [this] knowledge has come to you
- say, "Come, let us call our sons and
your sons, our women and your wom-
1 i.e., regarding His creation of him.
en, ourselves and yourselves, then sup-
plicate earnesdy [together] and invoke
the curse of God upon the liars [among
us]."
62. Indeed, this is the true narration. And
there is no deity except God. And in-
deed, God is the Exalted in Might, the
Wise.
63. But if they turn away, then indeed -
God is Knowing of the corrupters.
64. Say, "O People of the Scripture, come
to a word that is equitable between us
and you — that we will not worship ex-
cept God and not associate anything
with Him and not take one another as
lords instead of God." 109 But if they
turn away, then say, "Bear witness that
we are Muslims [submitting to Him]."
65. O People of the Scripture, why do you
argue about Abraham while the Torah
and the Gospel were not revealed until
after him? Then will you not reason?
66. Here you are — those who have argued
about that of which you have [some]
knowledge, but why do you argue
about that of which you have no know-
ledge? And God knows, while you
know not.
67. Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Chris-
tian, but he was one inclining toward
truth, a Muslim [submitting to God].
And he was not of the polytheists. 110
68. Indeed, the most worthy of Abraham
among the people are those who fol-
lowed him [in submission to God] and
this prophet [i.e., Muhammad] and
109 By obeying another in disobedience to God.
1 10 Those who associate others with God.
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those who believe [in his message]. And
God is the ally of the believers.
69. A faction of the people of the Scripture
wish they could mislead you. But they
do not mislead except themselves, and
they perceive [it] not.
70. O People of the Scripture, why do you
disbelieve in the verses of God 111 while
you witness [to their truth]?
coin, he will not return it to you unless
you are constantly standing over him
[demanding it]. That is because they
say, "There is no blame upon us con-
cerning the unlearned." 113 And they
speak untruth about God while they
know [it].
76. But yes, whoever fulfills his commit-
ment and fears God - then indeed,
God loves those who fear Him.
71. O People of the Scripture, why do you 77.
mix [i.e., confuse] the truth with false-
hood and conceal the truth while you
know [it]?
72. And a faction of the People of the
Scripture say [to each other], "Believe
in that which was revealed to the be-
lievers at the beginning of the day and
reject it at its end that perhaps they will 78.
return [i.e., abandon their religion],
73. And do not trust except those who fol-
low your religion." Say, "Indeed, the
[true] guidance is the guidance of God.
[Do you fear] lest someone be given
[knowledge] like you were given or that
they would [thereby] argue with you be- 79.
fore your Lord?" Say, "Indeed, [all]
bounty is in the hand 112 of God - He
grants it to whom He wills. And God is
all-Encompassing and Wise."
74. He selects for His mercy whom He
wills. And God is the possessor of great
bounty.
Indeed, those who exchange the cove-
nant of God and their [own] oaths for a
small price will have no share in the
Hereafter, and God will not speak to
them or look at them on the Day of
Resurrection, nor will He purify them;
and they will have a painful punish-
ment.
And indeed, there is among them a par-
ty who alter the Scripture with their
tongues so you may think it is from the
Scripture, but it is not from the Scrip-
ture. And they say, "This is from God,"
but it is not from God. And they speak
untruth about God while they know.
It is not for a human [prophet] 114 that
God should give him the Scripture 115
and authority and prophethood and
then he would say to the people, "Be
servants to me rather than God," but
[instead, he would say], "Be pious scho-
lars of the Lord because of what you
have taught of the Scripture and be-
cause of what you have studied."
75. And among the People of the Scripture
is he who, if you entrust him with a
great amount [of wealth], he will return
it to you. And among them is he who,
if you entrust him with a [single] silver
111 i.e., deliberately reject them.
112 See footnote to 2:19.
80. Nor could he order you to take the an-
gels and prophets as lords. Would he
113 The Jews do not consider it a sin to cheat or
lie to a gentile or a pagan.
114 Or any believer.
115 Or in the case of the Prophet Muhammad,
"the Book" (i.e., the Qur'an).
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order you to disbelief after you had
been Muslims?
81. And [recall, O People of the Scripture],
when God took the covenant of the
prophets, [saying], "Whatever I give
you of the Scripture and wisdom and
then there comes to you a messenger
confirming what is with you, you [must]
believe in him and support him." [God]
said, "Have you acknowledged and tak-
en upon that My commitment?" 116
They said, "We have acknowledged it."
He said, "Then bear witness, and I am
with you among the witnesses."
82. And whoever turned away after that —
they were the defiantly disobedient.
83. So is it other than the religion of God
they desire, while to Him have submit-
ted [all] those within the heavens and
earth, willingly or by compulsion, and
to Him they will be returned?
84. Say, "We have believed in God and in
what was revealed to us and what was
revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac,
Jacob, and the Descendants [al-Asbat],
and in what was given to Moses and Je-
sus and to the prophets from their
Lord. We make no distinction between
any of them, and we are Muslims [sub-
mitting] to Him."
85. And whoever desires other than Islam
as religion — never will it be accepted
from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will
be among the losers.
86. How shall God guide a people who
disbelieved after their belief and had
witnessed that the Messenger is true
and clear signs had come to them? And
God does not guide the wrongdoing
people.
87. Those — their recompense will be that
upon them is the curse of God and the
angels and the people, all together,
88. Abiding eternally therein. The punish-
ment will not be lightened for them,
nor will they be reprieved,
89. Except for those who repent after
that 117 and correct themselves. For in-
deed, God is Forgiving and Merciful.
90. Indeed, those who disbelieve [i.e., reject
the message] after their belief and then
increase in disbelief — never will their
[claimed] repentance be accepted, and
they are the ones astray.
91. Indeed, those who disbelieve and die
while they are disbelievers — never
would the [whole] capacity of the earth
in gold be accepted from one of them if
he would [seek to] ransom himself with
it. For those there will be a painful pu-
nishment, and they will have no hel-
pers.
92. Never will you attain the good [re-
ward] 118 until you spend [in the way of
God] from that which you love. And
whatever you spend — indeed, God is
Knowing of it.
93. All food was lawful to the Children of
Israel except what Israel [i.e., Jacob]
had made unlawful to himself before
the Torah was revealed. Say, [O Mu-
hammad], "So bring the Torah and re-
cite it, if you should be truthful."
1 i.e., Have you accepted this obligation?
117 After their wrongdoing.
118 Another meaning is "You will never attain
righteousness."
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94. And whoever invents about God un-
truth after that — then those are [truly]
the wrongdoers.
95. Say, "God has told the truth. So follow
the religion of Abraham, inclining to-
ward truth; and he was not of the po-
lytheists." 119
96. Indeed, the first House [of worship]
established for mankind was that at
Bakkah [i.e., Makkah] - blessed and a
guidance for the worlds.
97. In it are clear signs [such as] the stand-
ing place of Abraham. And whoever
enters it [i.e., the Haram] shall be safe.
And [due] to God from the people is a
pilgrimage to the House — for whoever
is able to find thereto a way. But
whoever disbelieves [i.e., refuses] —
then indeed, God is free from need of
the worlds. 120
98. Say, "O People of the Scripture, why
do you disbelieve in the verses of God
while God is Witness over what you
do?"
99. Say, "O People of the Scripture, why
do you avert from the way of God
those who believe, seeking to make it
[seem] deviant, while you are witnesses
[to the truth]? And God is not unaware
of what you do."
100. O you who have believed, if you obey a
party of those who were given the
Scripture, they would turn you back, af-
ter your belief, [to being] unbelievers.
101. And how could you disbelieve while to
you are being recited the verses of God
and among you is His Messenger? And
119 See footnote to 3:67.
120 He has no need for His servants' worship; it is
they who are in need of Him.
whoever holds firmly to God 121 has
[indeed] been guided to a straight path.
102. O you who have believed, fear God as
He should be feared and do not die ex-
cept as Muslims [in submission to
Him],
103. And hold firmly to the rope 122 of God
all together and do not become divided.
And remember the favor of God upon
you - when you were enemies and He
brought your hearts together and you
became, by His favor, brothers. And
you were on the edge of a pit of the
Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus
does God make clear to you His verses
that you may be guided.
104. And let there be [arising] from you a
nation inviting to [all that is] good, en-
joining what is right and forbidding
what is wrong, 123 and those will be the
successful.
105. And do not be like the ones who be-
came divided and differed after the
clear proofs had come to them. And
those will have a great punishment
106. On the Day [some] faces will turn white
and [some] faces will turn black. As for
those whose faces turn black, [to them
it will be said], "Did you disbelieve [i.e.,
reject faith] after your belief? Then taste
the punishment for what you used to
reject."
107. But as for those whose faces will turn
white, [they will be] within the mercy of
God. They will abide therein eternally.
121 i.e., adhering to His ordinances strictly, then
trusting in Him and relying upon Him complete-
122 Referring either to His covenant or the
Qur'an.
123 According to the laws of God.
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108. These are the verses of God. We recite
them to you, [O Muhammad], in truth;
and God wants no injustice to the
worlds [i.e., His creatures].
109. To God belongs whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is on the earth.
And to God will [all] matters be re-
turned.
110. You are the best nation produced [as an
example] for mankind. You enjoin what
is right and forbid what is wrong and
believe in God. If only the People of
the Scripture had believed, it would
have been better for them. Among
them are believers, but most of them
are defiantly disobedient.
111. They will not harm you except for
[some] annoyance. And if they fight
you, they will show you their backs [i.e.,
retreat]; then they will not be aided.
112. They have been put under humiliation
[by God] wherever they are overtaken,
except for a rope [i.e., covenant] from
God and a rope [i.e., treaty] from the
people [i.e., the Muslims]. 124 And they
have drawn upon themselves anger
from God and have been put under
destitution. That is because they disbe-
lieved in [i.e., rejected] the verses of
God and killed the prophets without
right. That is because they disobeyed
and [habitually] transgressed.
113. They are not [all] the same; among the
People of the Scripture is a communi-
ty 125 standing [in obedience], reciting
124 Once they have surrendered, the People of the
Scripture retain their rights and honour (in spite
of their refusal of Islam) through payment of the
ji^yah tax in place of %akdh and military service
due from Muslims. They are then under the pro-
tection of the Islamic state.
125 Of people who accepted Islam.
the verses of God during periods of the
night and prostrating [in prayer],
114. They believe in God and the Last Day,
and they enjoin what is right and forbid
what is wrong and hasten to good
deeds. And those are among the righ-
teous.
115. And whatever good they do — never
will it be removed from them. And
God is Knowing of the righteous.
116. Indeed, those who disbelieve - never
will their wealth or their children avail
them against God at all, and those are
the companions of the Fire; they will
abide therein eternally.
117. The example of what they spend in this
worldly life is like that of a wind con-
taining frost which strikes the harvest
of a people who have wronged them-
selves [i.e., sinned] and destroys it. And
God has not wronged them, but they
wrong themselves.
118. O you who have believed, do not take
as intimates those other than your-
selves, [i.e., believers], for they will not
spare you [any] ruin. They wish you
would have hardship. Hatred has al-
ready appeared from their mouths, and
what their breasts conceal is greater.
We have certainly made clear to you the
signs, if you will use reason.
119. Here you are loving them but they are
not loving you, while you believe in the
Scripture — all of it. 126 And when they
meet you, they say, "We believe." But
when they are alone, they bite their fin-
gertips at you in rage. Say, "Die in your
126 That of it revealed by God, not what was sub-
sequently altered by men.
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rage. Indeed, God is Knowing of that
within the breasts."
120. If good touches you, it distresses them;
but if harm strikes you, they rejoice at
it. And if you are patient and fear God,
their plot will not harm you at all. In-
deed, God is encompassing of what
they do.
121. And [remember] when you, [O Mu-
hammad] , left your family in the morn-
ing to post the believers at their stations
for the batde [of Uhud] - and God is
Hearing and Knowing -
122. When two parties among you were
about to lose courage, but God was
their ally; and upon God the believers
should rely.
123. And already had God given you victory
at [the batde of] Badr while you were
weak [i.e., few in number]. Then fear
God; perhaps you will be grateful.
124. [Remember] when you said to the be-
lievers, "Is it not sufficient for you that
your Lord should reinforce you with
three thousand angels sent down?
125. Yes, if you remain patient and con-
scious of God and they [i.e., the enemy]
come upon you [attacking] in rage, your
Lord will reinforce you with five thou-
sand angels having marks [of distinc-
tion]."
126. And God made it not except as [a sign
of] good tidings for you and to reassure
your hearts thereby. And victory is not
except from God, the Exalted in Might,
the Wise -
127. That He might cut down a section of
the disbelievers or suppress them so
that they turn back disappointed.
128. Not for you, [O Muhammad, but for
God], is the decision whether He
should [cut them down] or forgive
them or punish them, for indeed, they
are wrongdoers.
129. And to God belongs whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is on the earth.
He forgives whom He wills and pu-
nishes whom He wills. And God is
Forgiving and Merciful.
130. O you who have believed, do not con-
sume usury, doubled and multiplied,
but fear God that you may be success-
ful.
131. And fear the Fire, which has been pre-
pared for the disbelievers.
132. And obey God and the Messenger that
you may obtain mercy.
133. And hasten to forgiveness from your
Lord and a garden [i.e., Paradise] as
wide as the heavens and earth, prepared
for the righteous
1 34. Who spend [in the cause of God] dur-
ing ease and hardship and who restrain
anger and who pardon the people - and
God loves the doers of good;
135. And those who, when they commit an
immorality or wrong themselves [by
transgression], remember God and seek
forgiveness for their sins — and who can
forgive sins except God? — and [who]
do not persist in what they have done
while they know.
136. Those — their reward is forgiveness
from their Lord and gardens beneath
which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein
they will abide eternally; and excellent is
the reward of the [righteous] workers.
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137. Similar situations [as yours] have passed
on before you, so proceed throughout
the earth and observe how was the end
of those who denied.
138. This [Qur'an] is a clear statement to
[all] the people and a guidance and in-
struction for those conscious of God.
139. So do not weaken and do not grieve,
and you will be superior if you are
[true] believers.
140. If a wound should touch you — there
has already touched the [opposing]
people a wound similar to it. And these
days [of varying conditions] We alter-
nate among the people so that God
may make evident those who believe
and [may] take to Himself from among
you martyrs — and God does not like
the wrongdoers —
141. And that God may purify the believers
[through trials] and destroy the disbe-
lievers.
142. Or do you think that you will enter Pa-
radise while God has not yet made evi-
dent those of you who fight in His
cause and made evident those who are
steadfast?
143. And you had certainly wished for death
[i.e., martyrdom] before you encoun-
tered it, and you have [now] seen it [be-
fore you] while you were looking on.
144. Muhammad is not but a messenger.
[Other] messengers have passed on be-
fore him. So if he was to die or be
killed, would you turn back on your
heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns
back on his heels will never harm God
at all; but God will reward the grateful.
145. And it is not [possible] for one to die
except by permission of God at a de-
cree determined. And whoever desires
the reward of this world — We will give
him thereof; and whoever desires the
reward of the Hereafter — We will give
him thereof. And we will reward the
grateful.
146. And how many a prophet [fought and]
with him fought many religious scho-
lars. But they never lost assurance due
to what afflicted them in the cause of
God, nor did they weaken or submit.
And God loves the steadfast.
147. And their words were not but that they
said, "Our Lord, forgive us our sins and
the excess [committed] in our affairs
and plant firmly our feet and give us
victory over the disbelieving people."
148. So God gave them the reward of this
world and the good reward of the He-
reafter. And God loves the doers of
good.
149. O you who have believed, if you obey
those who disbelieve, they will turn you
back on your heels, and you will [then]
become losers.
150. But God is your protector, and He is
the best of helpers.
151. We will cast terror into the hearts of
those who disbelieve for what they
have associated with God of which He
had not sent down [any] authority. And
their refuge will be the Fire, and
wretched is the residence of the wrong-
doers.
152. And God had certainly fulfilled His
promise to you when you were killing
them [i.e., the enemy] by His permis-
sion until [the time] when you lost cou-
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rage and fell to disputing about the or-
der [given by the Prophet] and dis-
obeyed after He had shown you that
which you love. 127 Among you are
some who desire this world, and among
you are some who desire the Hereafter.
Then he turned you back from them
[defeated] that He might test you. And
He has already forgiven you, and God
is the possessor of bounty for the be-
lievers.
153. [Remember] when you [fled and]
climbed [the mountain] without looking
aside at anyone while the Messenger
was calling you from behind. So God
repaid you with distress upon distress
so you would not grieve for that which
had escaped you [of victory and spoils
of war] or [for] that which had befallen
you [of injury and death]. And God is
[fully] Acquainted with what you do.
154. Then after distress, He sent down upon
you security [in the form of] drowsi-
ness, overcoming a faction of you,
while another faction worried about
themselves, thinking of God other than
the truth — the thought of ignorance,
saying, "Is there anything for us [to
have done] in this matter?" Say, "In-
deed, the matter belongs completely to
God." They conceal within themselves
what they will not reveal to you. They
say, "If there was anything we could
have done in the matter, we [i.e., some
of us] would not have been killed right
here." Say, "Even if you had been in-
side your houses, those decreed to be
killed would have come out to their
death beds." [It was] so that God might
test what is in your breasts and purify
what is in your hearts. And God is
Knowing of that within the breasts.
127 i.e., the spoils of war.
155. Indeed, those of you who turned back
on the day the two armies met [at
Uhud] - it was Satan who caused them
to slip because of some [blame] they
had earned. But God has already forgi-
ven them. Indeed, God is Forgiving
and Forbearing.
156. O you who have believed, do not be
like those who disbelieved and said
about their brothers when they traveled
through the land or went out to fight,
"If they had been with us, they would
not have died or have been killed," so
God makes that [misconception] a re-
gret within their hearts. And it is God
who gives life and causes death, and
God is Seeing of what you do.
157. And if you are killed in the cause of
God or die — then forgiveness from
God and mercy are better than whatev-
er they accumulate [in this world] .
158. And whether you die or are killed, unto
God you will be gathered.
159. So by mercy from God, [O Muham-
mad], you were lenient with them. And
if you had been rude [in speech] and
harsh in heart, they would have dis-
banded from about you. So pardon
them and ask forgiveness for them and
consult them in the matter. And when
you have decided, then rely upon God.
Indeed, God loves those who rely
[upon Him],
160. If God should aid you, no one can
overcome you; but if He should forsake
you, who is there that can aid you after
Him? And upon God let the believers
rely.
161. It is not [attributable] to any prophet
that he would act unfaithfully [in regard
to war booty]. And whoever betrays,
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[taking unlawfully], will come with what
he took on the Day of Resurrection.
Then will every soul be [fully] compen-
sated for what it earned, and they will
not be wronged.
162. So is one who pursues the pleasure of
God like one who brings upon himself
the anger of God and whose refuge is
Hell? And wretched is the destination.
163. They are [varying] degrees in the sight
of God, and God is Seeing of whatever
they do.
164. Certainly did God confer [great] favor
upon the believers when He sent
among them a Messenger from them-
selves, reciting to them His verses and
purifying them and teaching them the
Book [i.e., the Qur'an] and wisdom, 128
although they had been before in ma-
nifest error.
165. Why [is it that] when a [single] disaster
struck you [on the day of Uhud], al-
though you had struck [the enemy in
the battle of Badr] with one twice as
great, you said, "From where is this?"
Say, "It is from yourselves [i.e., due to
your sin]." Indeed, God is over all
things competent.
166. And what struck you on the day the
two armies met [at Uhud] was by per-
mission of God that He might make
evident the [true] believers
167. And that He might make evident those
who are hypocrites. For it was said to
them, "Come, fight in the way of God
or [at least] defend." They said, "If we
had known [there would be] fighting,
we would have followed you." They
were nearer to disbelief that day than to
faith, saying with their mouths what
was not in their hearts. And God is
most Knowing of what they conceal —
168. Those who said about their brothers
while sitting [at home], "If they had ob-
eyed us, they would not have been
killed." Say, "Then prevent death from
yourselves, if you should be truthful."
169. And never think of those who have
been killed in the cause of God as dead.
Rather, they are alive with their Lord,
receiving provision,
170. Rejoicing in what God has bestowed
upon them of His bounty, and they re-
ceive good tidings about those [to be
martyred] after them who have not yet
joined them — that there will be no fear
concerning them, nor will they grieve.
171. They receive good tidings of favor
from God and bounty and [of the fact]
that God does not allow the reward of
believers to be lost —
172. Those [believers] who responded to
God and the Messenger after injury had
struck them. For those who did good
among them and feared God is a great
reward —
173. Those to whom people [i.e., hypocrites]
said, "Indeed, the people have gathered
against you, so fear them." But it [mere-
ly] increased them in faith, and they
said, "Sufficient for us is God, and [He
is] the best Disposer of affairs."
174. So they returned with favor from God
and bounty, no harm having touched
them. And they pursued the pleasure of
God, and God is the possessor of great
bounty.
128 The Prophet's sunnah (examples and sayings)
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175. That is only Satan who frightens [you]
of his supporters. So fear them not, but
fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers.
176. And do not be grieved, [O Muham-
mad], by those who hasten into disbe-
lief. Indeed, they will never harm God
at all. God intends that He should give
them no share in the Hereafter, and for
them is a great punishment.
177. Indeed, those who purchase disbelief
[in exchange] for faith — never will they
harm God at all, and for them is a pain-
ful punishment.
178. And let not those who disbelieve ever
think that [because] We extend their
time [of enjoyment] it is better for
them. We only extend it for them so
that they may increase in sin, and for
them is a humiliating punishment.
179. God would not leave the believers in
that [state] you are in [presendy] until
He separates the evil from the good.
Nor would God reveal to you the un-
seen. But [instead], God chooses of His
messengers whom He wills, so believe
in God and His messengers. And if you
believe and fear Him, then for you is a
great reward.
180. And let not those who [greedily] with-
hold what God has given them of His
bounty ever think that it is better for
them. Rather, it is worse for them.
Their necks will be encircled by what
they withheld on the Day of Resurrec-
tion. And to God belongs the heritage
of the heavens and the earth. And God,
with what you do, is [fully] Acquainted.
181. God has certainly heard the statement
of those [Jews] who said, "Indeed, God
is poor, while we are rich." We will
record what they said and their killing
of the prophets without right and will
say, "Taste the punishment of the
Burning Fire.
182. That is for what your hands have put
forth and because God is not ever un-
just to [His] servants."
183. [They are] those who said, "Indeed,
God has taken our promise not to be-
lieve any messenger until he brings us
an offering which fire [from heaven]
will consume." Say, "There have al-
ready come to you messengers before
me with clear proofs and [even] that of
which you speak. So why did you kill
them, if you should be truthful?"
1 84. Then if they deny you, [O Muhammad]
— so were messengers denied before
you, who brought clear proofs and
written ordinances and the enlightening
Scripture. 129
185. Every soul will taste death, and you will
only be given your [full] compensation
on the Day of Resurrection. So he who
is drawn away from the Fire and admit-
ted to Paradise has attained [his desire].
And what is the life of this world ex-
cept the enjoyment of delusion.
186. You will surely be tested in your pos-
sessions and in yourselves. And you will
surely hear from those who were given
the Scripture before you and from
those who associate others with God
much abuse. But if you are patient and
fear God — indeed, that is of the mat-
ters [worthy] of determination.
187. And [mention, O Muhammad], when
God took a covenant from those who
were given the Scripture, [saying], "You
129 The unaltered, original Torah and Gospel,
which were revealed by God.
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189.
must make it clear [i.e., explain it] to the
people and not conceal it." But they
threw it away behind their backs and
exchanged it for a small price. And
wretched is that which they purchased.
And never think that those who rejoice
in what they have perpetrated and like
to be praised for what they did not do -
never think them [to be] in safety from
the punishment, and for them is a pain-
ful punishment.
And to God belongs the dominion of
the heavens and the earth, and God is
over all things competent.
190. Indeed, in the creation of the heavens
and the earth and the alternation of the
night and the day are signs for those of
understanding -
191. Who remember God while standing or
sitting or Pying] on their sides and give
thought to the creation of the heavens
and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You
did not create this aimlessly; exalted are
You [above such a thing]; then protect
us from the punishment of the Fire.
192. Our Lord, indeed whoever You admit
to the Fire — You have disgraced him,
and for the wrongdoers there are no
helpers.
193. Our Lord, indeed we have heard a call-
er [i.e., Prophet Muhammad] calling to
faith, [saying], 'Believe in your Lord,'
and we have believed. Our Lord, so
forgive us our sins and remove from us
our misdeeds and cause us to die with
the righteous.
Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in
[Your] promise."
195. And their Lord responded to them,
"Never will I allow to be lost the work
of [any] worker among you, whether
male or female; you are of one another.
So those who emigrated or were
evicted from their homes or were
harmed in My cause or fought or were
killed — I will surely remove from them
their misdeeds, and I will surely admit
them to gardens beneath which rivers
flow as reward from God, and God has
with Him the best reward."
196. Be not deceived by the [uninhibited]
movement of the disbelievers through-
out the land.
197. [It is but] a small enjoyment; then their
[final] refuge is Hell, and wretched is
the resting place.
198. But those who feared their Lord will
have gardens beneath which rivers
flow, abiding eternally therein, as ac-
commodation from God. And that
which is with God is best for the righ-
teous.
199. And indeed, among the People of the
Scripture are those who believe in God
and what was revealed to you and what
was revealed to them, [being] humbly
submissive to God. They do not ex-
change the verses of God for a small
price. Those will have their reward with
their Lord. Indeed, God is swift in ac-
count.
194. Our Lord, and grant us what You
promised us through Your messengers
and do not disgrace us on the Day of
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200. O you who have believed, persevere 130
and endure 131 and remain stationed 132
and fear God that you may be success-
ful.
130 In your religion and in the face of your ene-
mies.
131 In patience, outlasting your enemies, and
against your own evil inclinations.
132 Posted at your positions against the enemy or
in the mosques, awaiting prayers.
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Surah 4: an-Nisa'
Period of Revelation
This Surah comprises several discourses which were revealed on different occasions during the period rang-
ing probably between the end of year 3 A.H. (After Hijrah [migration] from Makkah to Madinah) and the
end of 4 A.H. or the beginning of 5 A.H. Although it is difficult to determine the exact dates of their revela-
tions it is possible to assign to them a fairly correct period with the help of the Commandments and the
events mentioned therein and the Traditions concerning them. A few instances are given below by way of
illustration:
1 . We know that the instructions about the division of inheritance of the martyrs and for the safe-
guard of the rights of the orphans were sent down after the Battle of Uhud in which 70 Muslims
were killed. Then naturally the question of the division of the inheritance of the martyrs and the sa-
feguard of the rights of their orphans arose in many families at Madinah. From this we conclude
that v. 1 -28 were revealed on that occasion.
2. We learn from the Traditions that the Commandment about Salah (prayer) during war time was
given on the occasion of the Zat-ur-Riqa'aan expedition which took place in 4 A.H. From this we
conclude that the discourse containing v. 102 was revealed on that occasion
3. The last warning (v. 47) to the Jews was given before the Banu-Nadheer were exiled from Madinah
in Rabi'-ulAwwal 4 A.H. From this it may safely be concluded that the discourse containing v. 47
must have been revealed some time before that date.
4. The permission about tayammum(the performance of ablutions with pure dust in case no water be
available) was given during the Bani-al-Mustaliq expedition which took place in 5 A.H. Therefore
the probable period of the revelation of the discourse containing v. 43 was 5 A.H.
Topics and Their Background
Let us now consider the social and historical considerations of the period in order to understand the Surah.
All the discourses in this Surah deal with three main problems which confronted the Prophet at the time.
First of all he was engaged in bringing about an all round development of the Islamic Community that had
been formed at the time of his migration to Madinah. For this purpose he was introducing new moral cultur-
al social economic and political ways in place of the old ones of the pre-Islamic period. The second thing
that occupied his attention and efforts was the bitter struggle that was going on with the polytheist Arabs, the
Jewish clans and the hypocrites who were opposing tooth and nail his mission of reform. Above all he had to
propagate Islam in the face of the bitter opposition of these powers of evil with a view to capturing more
and more minds and hearts.
Accordingly detailed instructions have been given for the consolidation and strengthening of the Islamic
Community in continuation of those given in Al-Baqarah. Principles for the smooth running of family life
have been laid down and ways of settling family disputes have been taught. Rules have been prescribed for
marriage and rights of wife and husband have been apportioned fairly and equitably. The status of women in
the society has been determined and the declaration of the rights of orphans has been made. Laws and regu-
lations have been laid down for the division of inheritance and instructions have been given to reform eco-
nomic affairs. The foundation of the penal code has been laid down, drinking has been prohibited and in-
structions have been given for cleanliness and purity. The Muslims have been taught the kind of relations
good men should have with their God and fellow men. Instructions have been given for the maintenance of
discipline in the Muslim Community.
The moral and religious condition of the people of the Book has been reviewed to teach lessons to the Mus-
lims and to forewarn them to refrain from following in their footsteps. The conduct of the hypocrites has
been criticized and the distinctive features of hypocrisy and true faith have been clearly marked off to enable
the Muslims to distinguish between the two. In order to cope with the aftermath of the Battle of Uhud In-
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spiring discourses were sent down to urge the Muslims to face the enemy bravely for the defeat in the Battle
had so emboldened the polytheist Arab clans and the neighboring Jews and the hypocrites at home that they
were threatening the Muslims on all sides. At this critical juncture God filled the Muslims with courage and
gave them such instructions as were needed during that period of war clouds. In order to counteract the fear-
ful rumors that were being spread by the hypocrites and the Muslims of weak faith they were asked to make
a thorough enquiry into them and to inform the responsible people about them. Then they were experienc-
ing some difficulties in offering their salat during the expeditions to some places where no water was availa-
ble for performing their ablutions etc. In such cases they were allowed to cleanse themselves with pure earth
and to shorten the salat or to offer the "Salat of Fear" when they were faced with danger. Instructions were
also given for the solution of the puzzling problem of those Muslims who were scattered among the unbe-
lieving Arab clans and were often involved in war. They were asked to migrate to Madinah the abode of
Islam.
This Surah also deals with the case of Banu Nadir who were showing a hostile and menacing attitude in spite
of the peace treaties they had made with the Muslims. They were openly siding with the enemies of Islam
and hatching plots against the Prophet and the Muslim Community even at Madinah itself. They were taken
to task for their inimical behavior and given a final warning to change their attitude and were at last exiled
from Madinah on account of their misconduct.
The problem of the hypocrites, who had become very troublesome at that time, was involving the Believers
in difficulties. Therefore they were divided into different categories to enable the Muslims to deal with them
appropriately. Clear instructions were also given regarding the attitude they should adopt towards the non-
belligerent clans. The most important thing needed at that time was to prepare the Muslims for the bitter
struggle with the opponents of Islam. For this purpose greatest importance was attached to their character
building, for it was obvious that the small Muslim Community could only come out successful, nay, survive,
if the Muslims possessed high moral character. They were, therefore, enjoined to adopt the highest moral
qualities and were severely criticized whenever any moral weakness was detected in them.
Though this Surah mainly deals with the moral and social reforms, yet due attention has been paid to propa-
gation of Islam. On the one hand, the superiority of the Islamic morality and culture has been established
over that of the Jews, Christians and polytheists; on the other hand, their wrong religious conceptions, their
wrong morality and their evil acts have been criticized to prepare the ground for inviting them to the way of
the Truth
Subject: Consolidation of the Islamic Community
The main object of this Surah is to teach the Muslims the ways that unite a people and make them firm and
strong. Introductions for the stability of family, which is the nucleus of community have been given. Then
they have been urged to prepare themselves for defense. Side by side with these, they have been taught the
importance of the propagation of Islam. Above all, the importance of the highest moral character in the
scheme of consolidation of the Community has been impressed.
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Surah 4: an-Nisa' 133
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. O mankind, fear your Lord, who
created you from one soul and created
from it its mate and dispersed from
both of them many men and women.
And fear God, through whom 134 you
ask one another, 135 and the wombs. 136
Indeed God is ever, 137 over you, an
Observer.
2. And give to the orphans their proper-
ties and do not substitute the defective
[of your own] for the good [of theirs].
And do not consume their properties
into your own. Indeed, that is ever a
great sin.
3. And if you fear that you will not deal
justly with the orphan girls, then marry
those that please you of [other] women,
two or three or four. But if you fear
that you will not be just, then [marry
only] one or those your right hands
possesses [i.e., slaves]. That is more
suitable that you may not incline [to in-
justice].
4. And give the women [upon marriage]
their [bridal] gifts 138 graciously. But if
they give up willingly to you anything
133 An-Nisa': The Women.
134 In whose name.
135 i.e., request favours and demand rights.
136 i.e., fear God in regard to relations of kinship.
137 When used in conjunction with God's
attributes, the word "ever" (occurring repeatedly
throughout this surah and elsewhere, such as in
Surah al-Ah^ab) is quite inadequate in imparting
the sense of continuation expressed by the word
"kana" in Arabic, which indicates "always was, is,
and always will be."
138 The obligatory bridal gift i
of it, then take it in satisfaction and
ease
13')
And do not give the weak-minded your
property, 140 which God has made a
means of sustenance for you, but pro-
vide for them with it and clothe them
and speak to them words of appropri-
ate kindness.
And test the orphans [in their abilities]
until they reach marriageable age. Then
if you perceive in them sound judge-
ment, release their property to them.
And do not consume it excessively and
quickly, [anticipating] that they will
grow up. And whoever, [when acting as
guardian], is self-sufficient should re-
frain [from taking a fee]; and whoever
is poor - let him take according to what
is acceptable. Then when you release
their property to them, bring witnesses
upon them. And sufficient is God as
Accountant.
For men is a share of what the parents
and close relatives leave, and for wom-
en is a share of what the parents and
close relatives leave, be it little or much
- an obligatory share.
And when [other] relatives and orphans
and the needy are present at the [time
of] division, then provide for them
[something] out of it [i.e., the estate]
and speak to them words of appropri-
ate kindness.
And let those [executors and guardians]
fear [injustice] as if they [themselves]
had left weak offspring behind and
139 Knowing that it is lawful.
140 Although it is their property, God refers to it
in the collective sense, reminding us that all
wealth is provided by Him for the maintenance
of the community as well as of individual mem-
bers.
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4: The Women
feared for them. So let them fear God
and speak words of appropriate justice.
10. Indeed, those who devour the property
of orphans unjustly are only consuming
into their bellies fire. And they will be
burned in a Blaze [i.e., Hellfire].
11. God instructs you concerning your
children [i.e., their portions of inherit-
ance]: for the male, what is equal to the
share of two females. But if there are
[only] daughters, two or more, for them
is two thirds of one's estate. 141 And if
there is only one, for her is half. And
for one's parents, to each one of them
is a sixth of his estate if he left children.
But if he had no children and the par-
ents [alone] inherit from him, then for
his mother is one third. And if he had
brothers [and/or sisters], for his moth-
er is a sixth, 142 after any bequest he
[may have] made or debt. 143 Your par-
ents or your children - you know not
which of them are nearest to you in
benefit. [These shares are] an obligation
[imposed] by God. Indeed, God is ever
Knowing and Wise.
12. And for you is half of what your wives
leave if they have no child. But if they
have a child, for you is one fourth of
what they leave, after any bequest they
[may have] made or debt. And for them
[i.e., the wives] is one fourth if you
leave no child. But if you leave a child,
then for them is an eighth of what you
leave, after any bequest you [may have]
made or debt. And if a man or woman
leaves neither ascendants nor descen-
dants but has a brother or a sister, then
for each one of them is a sixth. But if
they are more than two, they share a
third, 144 after any bequest which was
made or debt, as long as there is no de-
triment [caused]. 145 [This is] an ordin-
ance from God, and God is Knowing
and Forbearing.
13. These are the limits [set by] God, and
whoever obeys God and His Messenger
will be admitted by Him to gardens [in
Paradise] under which rivers flow, abid-
ing eternally therein; and that is the
great attainment.
14. And whoever disobeys God and His
Messenger and transgresses His limits -
He will put him into the Fire to abide
eternally therein, and he will have a
humiliating punishment.
15. Those who commit immorality [i.e.,
unlawful sexual intercourse] of your
women - bring against them four [wit-
nesses] from among you. And if they
testify, 146 confine them [i.e., the guilty
women] to houses until death takes
them or God ordains for them [anoth-
er] way. 147
141 Literally, "that which he left."
142 Although the siblings themselves do not inhe-
rit in this case.
143 Based upon prophetic hadiths, scholars have
ruled that debt takes precedent over a bequest,
that a bequest may not include any who inherit by
law, and that the total bequest may not be more
than one third of one's estate. After the fulfill-
ment of debts and bequests (if any), the remaind-
er of the estate is to be divided according to the
ordinances in this surah.
144 These shares are divided equally between
males and females.
145 This is a condition for any bequest. If it has
been violated by the deceased, his bequest is not
to be honoured, or it may be adjusted by the ex-
ecutor. See 2:182.
146 The witnesses must swear to actually having
seen the act taking place.
147 The "other way" (i.e., penalty) was later re-
vealed in 24:2, cancelling the ruling in this verse.
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16. And the two 148 who commit it [i.e., un- 21.
lawful sexual intercourse] among you —
punish [i.e., dishonour] them both. But
if they repent and correct themselves,
leave them alone. Indeed, God is ever
Accepting of repentance and Merciful. 22.
17. The repentance accepted by God is
only for those who do wrong in ignor-
ance [or carelessness] and then repent
soon after. It is those to whom God
will turn in forgiveness, and God is ev- 23.
er Knowing and Wise.
18. But repentance is not [accepted] of
those who [continue to] do evil deeds
up until, when death comes to one of
them, he says, "Indeed, I have repented
now," or of those who die while they
are disbelievers. For them We have
prepared a painful punishment.
19. O you who have believed, it is not law-
ful for you to inherit women by com-
pulsion. 149 And do not make difficulties
for them in order to take [back] part of
what you gave them 150 unless they
commit a clear immorality [i.e., adul-
tery]. And live with them in kindness.
For if you dislike them - perhaps you 24.
dislike a thing and God makes therein
much good.
20. But if you want to replace one wife
with another and you have given one of
them a great amount [in gifts], do not
take [back] from it anything. Would you
take it in injustice and manifest sin?
And how could you take it while you
have gone in unto each other and they
have taken from you a solemn cove-
nant?
And do not marry those [women]
whom your fathers married, except
what has already occurred. 151 Indeed, it
was an immorality and hateful [to God]
and was evil as a way.
Prohibited to you [for marriage] are
your mothers, your daughters, your sis-
ters, your father's sisters, your mother's
sisters, your brother's daughters, your
sister's daughters, your [milk] mothers
who nursed you, your sisters through
nursing, your wives' mothers, and your
step-daughters under your guardianship
[born] of your wives unto whom you
have gone in. But if you have not gone
in unto them, there is no sin upon you.
And [also prohibited are] the wives of
your sons who are from your [own]
loins, and that you take [in marriage]
two sisters simultaneously, except for
what has already occurred. 152 Indeed,
God is ever Forgiving and Merciful.
And [also prohibited to you are all]
married women except those your right
hands possess. 153 [This is] the decree of
God upon you. And lawful to you are
[all others] beyond these, [provided]
that you seek them [in marriage] with
[gifts from] your property, desiring
chastity, not unlawful sexual inter-
course. So for whatever you enjoy [of
148 Scholars differ over whether "the two" refers
to two of the same sex (i.e., homosexuals) or
those of opposite sexes. In either case, later rul-
ings outlined in the sunnah have replaced this one.
149 The deceased man's heirs have no rights of
marriage or otherwise over his widow.
150 At the time of marriage as mahr.
151 Before Islam. After the ruling was revealed by
God, men were required to release those women
unlawful to them (e.g., a stepmother, one of two
sisters, or any wives over the limit of four). The
same obligation applies to one once he has ac-
cepted Islam.
152 See previous footnote.
153 i.e., slaves or war captives who had pofytheist
husbands.
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marriage] from them, give them their
due compensation 154 as an obligation.
And there is no blame upon you for
what you mutually agree to beyond the
obligation. Indeed, God is ever Know-
ing and Wise.
29. O you who have believed, do not con-
sume one another's wealth unjustly 155
but only [in lawful] business by mutual
consent. And do not kill yourselves [or
one another] . Indeed, God is to you ev-
er Merciful.
25. And whoever among you cannot [find] 30.
the means to marry free, believing
women, then [he may marry] from
those whom your right hands possess
of believing slave girls. And God is
most knowing about your faith. You 31.
[believers] are of one another. So marry
them with the permission of their
people and give them their due com-
pensation [i.e., mahr] according to what
is acceptable. [They should be] chaste, 32.
neither [of] those who commit unlawful
intercourse randomly nor those who
take [secret] lovers. But once they are
sheltered in marriage, if they should
commit adultery, then for them is half
the punishment for free [unmarried]
women. This [allowance] is for him
among you who fears affliction [i.e., 33.
sin], but to be patient is better for you.
And God is Forgiving and Merciful.
26. God wants to make clear to you [the
lawful from the unlawful] and guide
you to the [good] practices of those be-
fore you and to accept your repentance. 34.
And God is Knowing and Wise.
27. God wants to accept your repentance,
but those who follow [their] passions
want you to digress [into] a great devia-
tion.
And whoever does that in aggression
and injustice - then We will drive him
into a Fire. And that, for God, is [al-
ways] easy.
If you avoid the major sins which you
are forbidden, We will remove from
you your lesser sins and admit you to a
noble entrance [into Paradise] .
And do not wish for that by which God
has made some of you exceed others.
For men is a share of what they have
earned, and for women is a share of 156
what they have earned. And ask God of
His bounty. Indeed God is ever, of all
things, Knowing.
And for all, We have made heirs to
what is left by parents and relatives.
And to those whom your oaths have
bound [to you] - give them their
share. 157 Indeed God is ever, over all
things, a Witness.
Men are in charge of women 158 by
[right of] what God has given one over
the other and what they spend [for
maintenance] from their wealth. So
righteous women are devoutly ob-
edient, guarding in [the husband's] ab-
sence what God would have them
28. And God wants to lighten for you
[your difficulties]; and mankind was
created weak.
154 The mahr, a specified gift to the bride required
of the man upon marriage.
155 i.e., unlawfully or under false pretence.
156 This may refer to shares of inheritance, wages
and reward in the Hereafter.
157 By bequest, as only those relatives mentioned
in verses 11 and 12 inherit fixed shares.
158 This applies primarily to the husband-wife
relationship.
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guard. 159 But those [wives] from whom
you fear arrogance - [first] advise them;
[then if they persist], forsake them in
bed; and [finally], strike them. 160 But if
they obey you [once more], seek no
means against them. Indeed, God is ev-
er Exalted and Grand.
35. And if you fear dissension between the
two, send an arbitrator from his people
and an arbitrator from her people. If
they both desire reconciliation, God
will cause it between them. Indeed,
God is ever Knowing and Acquainted
[with all things].
36. Worship God and associate nothing
with Him, and to parents do good, and
to relatives, orphans, the needy, the
near neighbor, the neighbor farther
away, the companion at your side, 161
the traveler, and those whom your right
hands possess. Indeed, God does not
like those who are self-deluding and
boastful,
37. Who are stingy and enjoin upon [other]
people stinginess and conceal what
God has given them of His bounty -
and We have prepared for the disbe-
lievers a humiliating punishment -
38. And [also] those who spend of their
wealth to be seen by the people and be-
lieve not in God nor in the Last Day.
And he to whom Satan is a companion
- then evil is he as a companion.
39. And what [harm would come] upon
them if they believed in God and the
Last Day and spent out of what God
provided for them? And God is ever,
about them, Knowing.
40. Indeed, God does not do injustice,
[even] as much as an atom's weight;
while if there is a good deed, He mul-
tiplies it and gives from Himself a great
reward.
41 . So how [will it be] when We bring from
every nation a witness and We bring
you, [O Muhammad], against these
[people] as a witness?
42. That Day, those who disbelieved and
disobeyed the Messenger will wish they
could be covered by the earth. And
they will not conceal from God a [sin-
gle] statement.
43. O you who have believed, do not ap-
proach prayer while you are intoxicated
until you know what you are saying 162
or in a state of janabah, 163 except those
passing through [a place of prayer], un-
til you have washed [your whole body] .
And if you are ill or on a journey or one
of you comes from the place of reliev-
ing himself or you have contacted
women [i.e., had sexual intercourse] and
find no water, then seek clean earth and
wipe over your faces and your hands
[with it]. Indeed, God is ever Pardoning
and Forgiving.
44. Have you not seen those who were giv-
en a portion of the Scripture, purchas-
ing error [in exchange for it] and wish-
ing you would lose the way?
159 i.e., their husbands' property and their own
chastity.
160 As a last resort. It is unlawful to strike the face
or to cause bodily injury.
161 i.e., those whose acquaintance you have made.
Also interpreted as the wife.
162 The use of intoxicants was later prohibited
completely. See 5:90-91.
163 Literally, "distance." The state of one under
obligation to perform ghusl (a complete bath) due
to having had sexual intercourse or ejaculation.
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45. And God is most knowing of your
enemies; and sufficient is God as an al-
ly, and sufficient is God as a helper.
46. Among the Jews are those who distort
words from their [proper] places [i.e.,
usages] and say, "We hear and disobey"
and "Hear but be not heard" and
"Ra'ina," 164 twisting their tongues and
defaming the religion. And if they had
said [instead], "We hear and obey" and
"Wait for us [to understand]," it would
have been better for them and more
suitable. But God has cursed them for
their disbelief, so they believe not, ex-
cept for a few. 165
47. O you who were given the Scripture,
believe in what We have sent down [to
Muhammad], confirming that which is
with you, before We obliterate faces
and turn them toward their backs or
curse them as We cursed the sabbath-
breakers. 166 And ever is the matter [i.e.,
decree] of God accomplished.
48. Indeed, God does not forgive associa-
tion with Him, but He forgives what is
less than that for whom He wills. And
he who associates others with God has
certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.
49. Have
you not
seen those who
claim
themselves to be pure? Rather, God
purifies whom He wills, and injustice is
not done to them, [even] as much as a
thread [inside a date seed].
50. Look how they invent about God un-
truth, and sufficient is that as a manifest
sin.
51. Have you not seen those who were giv-
en a portion of the Scripture, who be-
164 See footnote to 2:104.
165 Or "except with little belief."
166 See 7:163-166.
lieve in jibt [superstition] and taghut
[false objects of worship] and say about
the disbelievers, "These are better
guided than the believers as to the
way ?
52. Those are the ones whom God has
cursed; and he whom God curses -
never will you find for him a helper.
53. Or have they a share of dominion?
Then [if that were so], they would not
give the people [even as much as] the
speck on a date seed.
54. Or do they envy people for what God
has given them of His bounty? But We
had already given the family of Abra-
ham the Scripture and wisdom 167 and
conferred upon them a great kingdom.
55. And some among them believed in it, 168
and some among them were averse to
it. And sufficient is Hell as a bla2e.
56. Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our
verses - We will drive them into a fire.
Every time their skins are roasted
through We will replace them with oth-
er skins so they may taste the punish-
ment. Indeed, God is ever Exalted in
Might and Wise.
57. But those who believe and do righteous
deeds - We will admit them to gardens
beneath which rivers flow, wherein they
abide forever. For them therein are pu-
rified spouses, and We will admit them
to deepening shade.
58. Indeed, God commands you to render
trusts to whom they are due and when
you judge between people to judge with
justice. Excellent is that which God in-
167 Prophetic teachings.
168 In what was given to them. Also interpreted as
"in him," i.e., Muhammad.
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structs you. Indeed, God is ever Hear-
ing and Seeing.
59. O you who have believed, obey God
and obey the Messenger and those in
authority among you. And if you disag-
ree over anything, refer it to God and
the Messenger, if you should believe in
God and the Last Day. That is the best
[way] and best in result.
60. Have you not seen those who claim to
have believed in what was revealed to
you, [O Muhammad], and what was re-
vealed before you? They wish to refer
legislation to taghut, 169 while they were
commanded to reject it; and Satan
wishes to lead them far astray.
61. And when it is said to them, "Come to
what God has revealed and to the Mes-
senger," you see the hypocrites turning
away from you in aversion.
62. So how [will it be] when disaster strikes
them because of what their hands have
put forth and then they come to you
swearing by God, "We intended noth-
ing but good conduct and accommoda-
tion."
63. Those are the ones of whom God
knows what is in their hearts, so turn
away from them 170 but admonish them
and speak to them a far-reaching [i.e.,
effective] word.
64. And We did not send any messenger
except to be obeyed by permission of
God. And if, when they wronged them-
selves, they had come to you, [O Mu-
hammad], and asked forgiveness of
God and the Messenger had asked for-
giveness for them, they would have
169 False objects of worship or those transgressors
who usurp the divine right of government.
170 i.e., use not violence against them.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
found God Accepting of repentance
and Merciful.
But no, by your Lord, they will not [tru-
ly] believe until they make you, [O Mu-
hammad], judge concerning that over
which they dispute among themselves
and then find within themselves no dis-
comfort from what you have judged
and submit in [full, willing] submission.
And if We had decreed upon them,
"Kill yourselves" or "Leave your
homes," they would not have done it,
except for a few of them. But if they
had done what they were instructed, it
would have been better for them and a
firmer position [for them in faith].
And then We would have given them
from Us a great reward.
And We would have guided them to a
straight path.
And whoever obeys God and the Mes-
senger - those will be with the ones
upon whom God has bestowed favor
of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers
of truth, the martyrs and the righteous.
And excellent are those as companions.
That is the bounty from God, and suf-
ficient is God as Knower.
O you who have believed, take your
precaution and [either] go forth in
companies or go forth all together.
And indeed, there is among you he who
lingers behind; and if disaster strikes
you, he says, "God has favored me in
that I was not present with them."
But if bounty comes to you from God,
he will surely say, as if [i.e., showing
that] there had never been between you
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and him any affection, "Oh, I wish I
had been with them so I could have at-
tained a great attainment." 171
74. So let those fight in the cause of God
who sell the life of this world for the
Hereafter. And he who fights in the
cause of God and is killed or achieves
victory - We will bestow upon him a
great reward.
75. And what is [the matter] with you that
you fight not in the cause of God and
[for] the oppressed among men, wom-
en, and children who say, "Our Lord,
take us out of this city of oppressive
people and appoint for us from Your-
self a protector and appoint for us from
Yourself a helper?"
76. Those who believe fight in the cause of
God, and those who disbelieve fight in
the cause of taghut. 172 So fight against
the allies of Satan. Indeed, the plot of
Satan has ever been weak.
77. Have you not seen those who were
told, "Restrain your hands [from fight-
ing] 173 and establish prayer and give
zakah?" But then when fighting was
ordained for them, at once a party of
them feared men as they fear God or
with [even] greater fear. They said,
"Our Lord, why have You decreed
upon us fighting? If only You had
postponed [it for] us for a short time."
Say, "The enjoyment of this world is lit-
tle, and the Hereafter is better for he
who fears God. And injustice will not
be done to you, [even] as much as a
thread [inside a date seed]."
171 The spoils of war. Although having pretended
to befriend the believers in support of God's
religion, the hypocrite will not be willing to fight
except for material gain.
172 See footnote to 4:60.
173 Before permission was given by God.
78. Wherever you may be, death will over-
take you, even if you should be within
towers of lofty construction. But if
good comes to them, they say, "This is
from God"; and if evil befalls them,
they say, 174 "This is from you." Say,
"All [things] are from God." So what is
[the matter] with those people that they
can hardly understand any statement?
79. What comes to you of good is from
God, but what comes to you of evil, [O
man], is from yourself. 175 And We have
sent you, [O Muhammad], to the
people as a messenger, and sufficient is
God as Witness.
80. He who obeys the Messenger has ob-
eyed God; but those who turn away -
We have not sent you over them as a
guardian.
81. And they say, "[We pledge] obedience."
But when they leave you, a group of
them spend the night determining to do
other than what you say. But God
records what they plan by night. So
leave them alone and rely upon God.
And sufficient is God as Disposer of
affairs.
82. Then do they not reflect upon the
Qur'an? 176 If it had been from [any]
other than God, they would have found
within it much contradiction.
83. And when there comes to them some-
thing [i.e., information] about [public]
security or fear, they spread it around.
But if they had referred it back to the
Messenger or to those of authority
among them, then the ones who [can]
draw correct conclusions from it would
have known about it. And if not for the
174 Addressing the Prophet.
175 As a result of your mistakes or sins.
176
i.e., its meaning and its objective.
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favor of God upon you and His mercy,
you would have followed Satan, except
for a few.
84. So fight, [O Muhammad], in the cause
of God; you are not held responsible
except for yourself. And encourage the
believers [to join you] that perhaps God
will restrain the [military] might of
those who disbelieve. And God is
greater in might and stronger in [exem-
plary] punishment. 177
85. Whoever intercedes for a good cause
will have a share [i.e., reward] there-
from; and whoever intercedes for an
evil cause will have a portion [i.e., bur-
den] therefrom. And ever is God, over
all things, a Keeper. 178
86. And when you are greeted with a greet-
ing, greet [in return] with one better
than it or [at least] return it [in a like
manner]. Indeed God is ever, over all
things, an Accountant.
87. God - there is no deity except Him. He
will surely assemble you for [account
on] the Day of Resurrection, about
which there is no doubt. And who is
more truthful than God in statement.
88. What is [the matter] with you [that you
are] two groups concerning the hypo-
crites, 179 while God has made them fall
back [into error and disbelief] for what
they earned. 180 Do you wish to guide
those whom God has sent astray? And
177 God is able to defeat them in such a way as to
deter others from attempting anything similar.
ns Providing, protecting, witnessing, keeping
precise records and capable of recompense.
179 i.e., divided between two viewpoints - wheth-
er or not they should be fought and killed.
180 As the result of their disobedience and dis-
loyalty.
he whom God sends astray - never will
you find for him a way [of guidance]. 181
89. They wish you would disbelieve as they
disbelieved so you would be alike. So
do not take from among them allies un-
til they emigrate for the cause of God.
But if they turn away [i.e., refuse], then
seize them and kill them wherever you
find them and take not from among
them any ally or helper,
90. Except for those who take refuge with
a people between yourselves and whom
is a treaty or those who come to you,
their hearts strained at [the prospect of]
fighting you or fighting their own
people. And if God had willed, He
could have given them power over you,
and they would have fought you. So if
they remove themselves from you and
do not fight you and offer you peace,
then God has not made for you a cause
[for fighting] against them.
91 . You will find others who wish to obtain
security from you and [to] obtain secu-
rity from their people. Every time they
are returned to [the influence of] disbe-
lief, they fall back into it. So if they do
not withdraw from you or offer you
peace or restrain their hands, then seize
them and kill them wherever you over-
take them. And those - We have made
for you against them a clear authoriza-
tion.
92. And never is it for a believer to kill a
believer except by mistake. And
whoever kills a believer by mistake -
then the freeing of a believing slave and
a compensation payment [diyah] pre-
sented to his [i.e., the deceased's] family
[is required], unless they give [up their
181 God leaves or sends astray those who choose
to reject His guidance.
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right as] charity. But if he [i.e., the de-
ceased] was from a people at war with
you and he was a believer - then [only]
the freeing of a believing slave; and if
he was from a people with whom you
have a treaty - then a compensation
payment presented to his family and
the freeing of a believing slave. And
whoever does not find [one or cannot
afford to buy one] - then [instead], a
fast for two months consecutively, 182
[seeking] acceptance of repentance
from God. 183 And God is ever Know-
ing and Wise.
93. But whoever kills a believer intentional-
ly - his recompense is Hell, wherein he
will abide eternally, and God has be-
come angry with him and has cursed
him and has prepared for him a great
punishment.
94. O you who have believed, when you go
forth [to fight] in the cause of God, in-
vestigate; and do not say to one who
gives you [a greeting of] peace, "You
are not a believer," 184 aspiring for the
goods of worldly life; for with God are
many acquisitions. You [yourselves]
were like that before; then God con-
ferred His favor [i.e., guidance] upon
you, so investigate. Indeed God is ever,
with what you do, Acquainted.
95. Not equal are those believers remaining
[at home] - other than the disabled -
and the mujahideen, [who strive and
fight] in the cause of God with their
wealth and their lives. God has pre-
182 Uninterrupted except when there is an
Islamicalfy valid reasons, as in Ramadhan,
183 An accidental death usually results from some
degree of negligence or error for which the be-
liever feels the need to repent.
184 Do not assume that he pretends Islam merely
in order to save himself, for he may be sincere in
faith.
f erred the mujahideen through their
wealth and their lives over those who
remain [behind], by degrees. And to all
[i.e., both] God has promised the best
[reward]. But God has preferred the
mujahideen over those who remain
[behind] with a great reward -
96. Degrees [of high position] from Him
and forgiveness and mercy. And God is
ever Forgiving and Merciful.
97. Indeed, those whom the angels take [in
death] while wronging themselves 185 -
[the angels] will say, "In what [condi-
tion] were you?" They will say, "We
were oppressed in the land." They [the
angels] will say, "Was not the earth of
God spacious [enough] for you to emi-
grate therein?" For those, their refuge is
Hell - and evil it is as a destination.
98. Except for the oppressed among men,
women, and children who cannot de-
vise a plan nor are they directed to a
way 186 -
99. For those it is expected that God will
pardon them, and God is ever Pardon-
ing and Forgiving.
100. And whoever emigrates for the cause
of God will find on the earth many [al-
ternative] locations and abundance.
And whoever leaves his home as an
emigrant to God and His Messenger
and then death overtakes him - his re-
ward has already become incumbent
upon God. And God is ever Forgiving
and Merciful.
185 By preferring to remain among the disbeliev-
ers, although they have the means to emigrate, in
an environment where a Muslim is unable to
practice his religion freely.
186 They are prevented by circumstances beyond
their control.
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101. And when you travel throughout the
land, there is no blame upon you for
shortening the prayer, 187 [especially] if
you fear that those who disbelieve may
disrupt [or attack] you. 188 Indeed, the
disbelievers are ever to you a clear
enemy.
102. And when you [i.e., the commander of
an army] are among them and lead
them in prayer, 189 let a group of them
stand [in prayer] with you and let them
carry their arms. And when they have
prostrated, let them be [in position] be-
hind you and have the other group
come forward which has not [yet]
prayed and let them pray with you, tak-
ing precaution and carrying their arms.
Those who disbelieve wish that you
would neglect your weapons and your
baggage so they could come down
upon you in one [single] attack. But
there is no blame upon you, if you are
troubled by rain or are ill, for putting
down your arms, but take precaution.
Indeed, God has prepared for the dis-
believers a humiliating punishment.
103. And when you have completed the
prayer, remember God standing, sitting,
or [lying] on your sides. But when you
become secure, re-establish [regular]
prayer. Indeed, prayer has been decreed
upon the believers a decree of specified
times.
they expect not. And God is ever
Knowing and Wise.
105. Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O
Muhammad], the Book in truth so you
may judge between the people by that
which God has shown you. And do not
be for the deceitful an advocate.
106. And seek forgiveness of God. Indeed,
God is ever Forgiving and Merciful.
107. And do not argue on behalf of those
who deceive themselves. Indeed, God
loves not one who is a habitually sinful
deceiver.
108. They conceal [their evil intentions and
deeds] from the people, but they can-
not conceal [them] from God, and He
is with them [in His knowledge] when
they spend the night in such as He does
not accept of speech. And ever is God,
of what they do, encompassing.
109. Here you are - those who argue on their
behalf in [this] worldly life - but who
will argue with God for them on the
Day of Resurrection, or who will [then]
be their representative?
110. And whoever does a wrong or wrongs
himself but then seeks forgiveness of
God will find God Forgiving and Mer-
ciful.
104. And do not weaken in pursuit of the
enemy. If you should be suffering - so
are they suffering as you are suffering,
but you expect from God that which
187 The four rak'ah prayers are shortened to two
rak 'ahs.
188 The example of the Prophet and his compa-
nies illustrates that fear is not a condition for this
allowance, merely travel.
189 At time of fear on the battleground.
111. And whoever earns [i.e., commits] a sin
only earns it against himself. And God
is ever Knowing and Wise.
112. But whoever earns an offense or a sin
and then blames it on an innocent [per-
son] has taken upon himself a slander
and manifest sin.
113.
And if it was not for the favor of God
upon you, [O Muhammad], and His
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4: The Women
mercy, a group of them would have de-
termined to mislead you. But they do
not mislead except themselves, and
they will not harm you at all. And God 120.
has revealed to you the Book and wis-
dom and has taught you that which you
did not know. And ever has the favor
of God upon you been great. 121.
114. No good is there in much of their pri-
vate conversation, except for those who 122.
enjoin charity or that which is right or
conciliation between people. And
whoever does that seeking means to the
approval of God - then We are going to
give him a great reward.
115. And whoever opposes the Messenger
after guidance has become clear to him 123.
and follows other than the way of the
believers - We will give him what he
has taken 190 and drive him into Hell,
and evil it is as a destination.
116. Indeed, God does not forgive associa-
tion with Him, but He forgives what is 1 24.
less than that for whom He wills. And
he who associates others with God has
certainly gone far astray.
117. They call upon instead of Him none
but female [deities], and they [actually] 125.
call upon none but a rebellious Satan,
118. Whom God has cursed. For he had
said, "I will surely take from among
Your servants a specific portion.
ally instead of God has certainly sus-
tained a clear loss.
He [i.e., Satan] promises them and
arouses desire in them. But Satan does
not promise them except delusion.
The refuge of those will be Hell, and
they will not find from it an escape.
But the ones who believe and do righ-
teous deeds - We will admit them to
gardens beneath which rivers flow,
wherein they will abide forever. [It is]
the promise of God, [which is] truth,
and who is more truthful than God in
statement.
It [i.e., Paradise] is not [obtained] by
your wishful thinking nor by that of the
People of the Scripture. Whoever does
a wrong will be recompensed for it, and
he will not find besides God a protec-
tor or a helper.
And whoever does righteous deeds,
whether male or female, while being a
believer - those will enter Paradise and
will not be wronged, [even as much as]
the speck on a date seed.
And who is better in religion than one
who submits himself to God while be-
ing a doer of good and follows the reli-
gion of Abraham, inclining toward
truth? And God took Abraham as an
intimate friend.
119. And I will mislead them, and I will
arouse in them [sinful] desires, and I
will command them so they will slit the
ears of catde, and I will command them
so they will change the creation of
God." And whoever takes Satan as an
1 i.e., make him responsible for his choice.
126.
127.
And to God belongs whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is on the earth.
And ever is God, of all things, encom-
passing.
And they request from you, [O Mu-
hammad], a Pegal] ruling concerning
women. Say, "God gives you a ruling
about them and [about] what has been
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4: The Women
recited to you in the Book concerning
the orphan girls to whom you do not
give what is decreed for them 191 - and
[yet] you desire to marry them - and
concerning the oppressed among child-
ren and that you maintain for orphans
[their rights] in justice." And whatever
you do of good - indeed, God is ever
Knowing of it.
128. And if a woman fears from her hus-
band contempt or evasion, there is no
sin upon them if they make terms of
setdement between them - and setde-
ment is best. And present in [human]
souls is stinginess. 192 But if you do good
and fear God - then indeed God is ev-
er, with what you do, Acquainted.
129. And you will never be able to be equal
[in feeling] between wives, even if you
should strive [to do so]. So do not in-
cline completely [toward one] and leave
another hanging. 193 And if you amend
[your affairs] and fear God - then in-
deed, God is ever Forgiving and Merci-
ful.
130. But if they separate [by divorce], God
will enrich each [of them] from His ab-
undance. And ever is God Encompass-
ing and Wise.
131. And to God belongs whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is on the earth.
And We have instructed those who
were given the Scripture before you and
yourselves to fear God. But if you dis-
believe - then to God belongs whatever
is in the heavens and whatever is on the
earth. And ever is God Free of need
and Praiseworthy.
191 i.e., their rights, in general and their mahr, spe-
cifically.
192 i.e., holding on to self-interests.
193 Neither divorced nor enjoying the rights of
marriage.
1 32. And to God belongs whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is on the earth.
And sufficient is God as Disposer of
affairs.
133. If He wills, He can do away with you,
O people, and bring others [in your
place]. And ever is God competent to
do that.
134. Whoever desires the reward of this
world - then with God is the reward of
this world and the Hereafter. And ever
is God Hearing and Seeing.
135. O you who have believed, be persis-
tendy standing firm in justice, witnesses
for God, even if it be against yourselves
or parents and relatives. Whether one is
rich or poor, God is more worthy of
both. 194 So follow not [personal] incli-
nation, lest you not be just. And if you
distort [your testimony] or refuse [to
give it], then indeed God is ever, with
what you do, Acquainted.
136. O you who have believed, believe 195 in
God and His Messenger and the Book
that He sent down upon His Messenger
and the Scripture which He sent down
before. And whoever disbelieves in
God, His angels, His books, His mes-
sengers, and the Last Day has certainly
gone far astray.
137. Indeed, those who have believed then
disbelieved, then believed, then disbe-
lieved, and then increased in disbelief -
never will God forgive them, nor will
He guide them to a way.
138. Give tidings to the hypocrites that there
is for them a painful punishment -
194 i.e., more knowledgeable of their best interests.
Therefore, adhere to what He has enjoyed upon
you and testify honestly.
195 i.e., renew, confirm and adhere to your belief.
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139. Those who take disbelievers as allies
instead of the believers. Do they seek
with them honour [through power]?
But indeed, honour belongs to God en-
tirely. 196
140. And it has already come down to you in
the Book [i.e., the Qur'an] that when
you hear the verses of God [recited],
they are denied [by them] and ridiculed;
so do not sit with them until they enter
into another conversation. Indeed, you
would then be like them. 197 Indeed,
God will gather the hypocrites and dis-
believers in Hell all together -
141. Those who wait [and watch] you. Then
if you gain a victory from God, they
say, "Were we not with you?" But if the
disbelievers have a success, they say [to
them], "Did we not gain the advantage
over you, but we protected you from
the believers?" God will judge between
[all of] you on the Day of Resurrection,
and never will God give the disbelievers
over the believers a way [to overcome
them]. 198
142. Indeed, the hypocrites [think to] dece-
ive God, but He is deceiving them. And
when they stand for prayer, they stand
lazily, showing [themselves to] the
people and not remembering God ex-
cept a little,
143. Wavering between them, [belonging]
neither to these [i.e., the believers] nor
to those [i.e., the disbelievers]. And
whoever God leaves astray - never will
you find for him a way.
196 Being the source of all power and honour,
God grants them to whom He wills.
197 In this world, by participation in their blas-
phemy, and in the next, where you will share their
punishment.
198 In the Hereafter, but possibly in this world as
well.
144. O you who have believed, do not take
the disbelievers as allies instead of the
believers. Do you wish to give God
against yourselves a clear case?
145. Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the
lowest depths of the Fire - and never
will you find for them a helper -
146. Except for those who repent, correct
themselves, hold fast to God, and are
sincere in their religion for God, for
those will be with the believers. And
God is going to give the believers a
great reward.
147. What would God do with [i.e., gain
from] with your punishment if you are
grateful and believe? And ever is God
Appreciative and Knowing.
148. God does not like the public mention
of evil except by one who has been
wronged. And ever is God Hearing and
Knowing.
149. If [instead] you show [some] good or
conceal it or pardon an offense - in-
deed, God is ever Pardoning and Com-
petent. 199
150. Indeed, those who disbelieve in God
and His messengers and wish to discri-
minate between God and His messen-
gers and say, "We believe in some and
disbelieve in others," and wish to adopt
a way in between —
151. Those are the disbelievers, truly. And
We have prepared for the disbelievers a
humiliating punishment.
152. But they who believe in God and His
messengers and do not discriminate be-
199 God is always able to exact retribution, al-
though He pardons out of His grace.
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4: The Women
tween any of them - to those He is
going to give their rewards. And ever is
God Forgiving and Merciful.
153. The People of the Scripture ask you to
bring down to them a book from the
heaven. But they had asked of Moses
[even] greater than that and said, "Show
us God outright," so the thunderbolt
struck them for their wrongdoing. Then
they took the calf [for worship] after
clear evidences had come to them, and
We pardoned that. And We gave Moses
a clear authority.
who differ over it are in doubt about it.
They have no knowledge of it except
the following of assumption. And they
did not kill him, for certain. 203
158. Rather, God raised him to Himself.
And ever is God Exalted in Might and
Wise.
159. And there is none from the People of
the Scripture but that he will surely be-
lieve in him [i.e., Jesus] before his
death. 204 And on the Day of Resurrec-
tion he will be against them a witness.
154. And We raised over them the mount
for [refusal of] their covenant; and We
said to them, "Enter the gate bowing
humbly"; and We said to them, "Do
not transgress on the sabbath"; and We
took from them a solemn covenant.
155. And [We cursed them] 200 for their
breaking of the covenant and their dis-
belief in the signs of God and their kill-
ing of the prophets without right and
their saying, "Our hearts are wrapped."
[i.e., sealed against reception]. Rather,
God has sealed them because of their
disbelief, so they believe not, except for
a few. 201
156. And [We cursed them] for their disbe-
lief and their saying against Mary a great
slander, 202
157. And [for] their saying, "Indeed, we
have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son
of Mary, the messenger of God." And
they did not kill him, nor did they cruci-
fy him; but [another] was made to re-
semble him to them. And indeed, those
200 Another interpretation is "And [We made
certain good foods unlawful to them]," based
upon verse 160.
201 Or "except with little belief."
202 When they accused her of fornication.
160. For wrongdoing on the part of the
Jews, We made unlawful for them [cer-
tain] good foods which had been lawful
to them, and for their averting from the
way of God many [people],
161. And [for] their taking of usury while
they had been forbidden from it, and
their consuming of the people's wealth
unjusdy. And we have prepared for the
disbelievers among them a painful pu-
nishment.
162. But those firm in knowledge among
them and the believers believe in what
has been revealed to you, [O Muham-
mad], and what was revealed before
you. And the establishers of prayer [es-
pecially] and the givers of 2akah and the
believers in God and the Last Day -
those We will give a great reward.
163. Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O
Muhammad], as We revealed to Noah
and the prophets after him. And we re-
203 Another meaning is "And they did not kill
him, being certain [of his identity]," i.e., they
killed another assuming it was Jesus.
204 One interpretation is that "his death" refers to
that of Jesus after his return to earth. Or it can
mean "the death of every individual from among
the People of the Scripture."
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4: The Women
vealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Ja-
cob, the Descendants, 205 Jesus, Job, Jo-
nah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to Da-
vid We gave the book [of Psalms].
164. And [We sent] messengers about whom
We have related [their stories] to you
before and messengers about whom
We have not related to you. And God
spoke to Moses with [direct] speech.
165. [We sent] messengers as bringers of
good tidings and warners so that man-
kind will have no argument against God
after the messengers. And ever is God
Exalted in Might and Wise.
166. But God bears witness to that which
He has revealed to you. He has sent it
down with His knowledge, and the an-
gels bear witness [as well]. And suffi-
cient is God as Witness.
167. Indeed, those who disbelieve and avert
[people] from the way of God have cer-
tainly gone far astray.
168. Indeed, those who disbelieve and
commit wrong [or injustice] - never will
God forgive them, nor will He guide
them to a path,
169. Except the path of Hell; they will abide
therein forever. And that, for God, is
[always] easy.
170. O mankind, the Messenger has come to
you with the truth from your Lord, so
believe; it is better for you. But if you
disbelieve - then indeed, to God be-
longs whatever is in the heavens and
earth. And ever is God Knowing and
Wise.
205 Al-Asbdt. See footnote to 2:136.
171. O People of the Scripture, do not
commit excess in your religion 206 or say
about God except the truth. The Mes-
siah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a
messenger of God and His word which
He directed to Maty and a soul [created
at a command] from Him. So believe in
God and His messengers. And do not
say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you.
Indeed, God is but one God. Exalted is
He above having a son. To Him be-
longs whatever is in the heavens and
whatever is on the earth. And sufficient
is God as Disposer of affairs.
172. Never would the Messiah disdain to be
a servant of God, nor would the angels
near [to Him], And whoever disdains
His worship and is arrogant - He will
gather them to Himself all together.
173. And as for those who believed and did
righteous deeds, He will give them in
full their rewards and grant them extra
from His bounty. But as for those who
disdained and were arrogant, He will
punish them with a painful punishment,
and they will not find for themselves
besides God any protector or helper.
174. O mankind, there has come to you a
conclusive proof from your Lord, and
We have sent down to you a clear
light. 207
175. So those who believe in God and hold
fast to Him - He will admit them to
mercy from Himself and bounty and
guide them to Himself on a straight
path.
176. They request from you a Pegal] ruling.
Say, "God gives you a ruling concern-
ing one having neither descendants nor
206 Such as attributing divine qualities to certain
creations of God or revering them excessively.
207 Showing the truth (i.e., the Qur'an).
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ascendants [as heirs]." If a man dies,
leaving no child but [only] a sister, she
will have half of what he left. And he
inherits from her if she [dies and] has
no child. But if there are two sisters [or
more], they will have two thirds of what
he left. If there are both brothers and
sisters, the male will have the share of
two females. God makes clear to you
[His law], lest you go astray. And God
is Knowing of all things.
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Surah 5: al-Maidah
Period of Revelation
The theme of this Surah indicates and traditions support it, that it was revealed after the treaty of Hudaibiyah
at the end of 6 A.H. or in the beginning of 7 A.H. That is why it deals with those problems that arose from
this treaty.
The Prophet with 1400 Muslims went to Makkah in 6 A.H. to perform Umrah, but the Quraysh spurred by
their enmity prevented him from its performance though it was utterly against all the ancient religious tradi-
tions of Arabia. After a good deal of hard and harsh negotiations a treaty was concluded at Hudaibiyah ac-
cording to which it was agreed that he could perform Umrah the following year. That was a very appropriate
occasion for teaching the Muslims the right way of performing a pilgrimage to Makkah with the true Islamic
dignity and enjoining that they should not prevent the disbelievers from performing pilgrimage to Makkah as
a retaliation for their misbehaviour. This was not difficult at all as many disbelievers had to pass through
Muslim territory on their way to Makkah. This is why the introductory verses deal with the things connected
with pilgrimage to Makkah and the same theme has been resumed in v. 101-104. The other topics of this
Surah also appear to belong to the same period.
Occasion of Revelation
This Surah was revealed to suit the requirements of the changed conditions which were now different from
those prevailing at the time of the revelation of ale-Imran and an-Nisa. Then the shock of the set-back at
Uhud had made the very surroundings of Madinah dangerous for the Muslims. Now Islam had become an
invulnerable power and the Islamic State had extended to Najd on the east, to the Red Sea on the west, to
Syria on the north, and to Makkah on the south. This set-back which the Muslims had suffered at Uhud had
not broken their determination. It had rather spurred them to action. As a result of their continuous struggle
and unparalleled sacrifices the power of the surrounding clans within a radius of 200 miles or so had been
broken. The Jewish menace which was always threatening Madinah had been totally removed and the Jews in
the other parts of Hijaz had become tributaries of the State of Madinah. The last effort of the Quraysh to
suppress Islam had been thwarted in the Battle of the Ditch. After this it had become quite obvious to the
Arabs that no power could suppress the Islamic movement. Now Islam was not merely a creed which ruled
over the minds and hearts of the people but had also become a State which dominated over every aspect of
the life of the people who lived within its boundaries. This had enabled the Muslims to live their lives with-
out let or hindrance in accordance with their beliefs.
Another development had also taken place during this period. The Muslim civilization had developed in ac-
cordance with the principles of Islam and the Islamic viewpoint. This civilization was quite distinct from all
other civilizations in all its details, and distinguished the Muslims clearly from the non-Muslims in their mor-
al, social and cultural behaviour. Mosques had been built in all territories, prayer had been established and an
Imam (leader) for every habitation and clan had been appointed. The Islamic civil and criminal laws had been
formulated in detail and were being enforced through the Islamic courts. New and reformed ways of trade
and commerce had taken the place of the old ones. The Islamic laws of marriage and divorce, of the segrega-
tion of the sexes, of the punishment for adultery and calumny and the like had cast the social life of the Mus-
lims in a special mould. Their social behaviour, their conversation, their dress, their very mode of living, their
culture etc., had taken a definite shape of its own. As a result of all these changes, the non-Muslims could not
expect that the Muslims would ever return to their former fold. Before the treaty of Hudaibiyah, the Muslims
were so engaged in their struggle with the non-Muslim Quraysh that they got no time to propagate their
message. This hindrance was removed by what was apparently a defeat but in reality a victory at Hudaibiyah.
This gave the Muslims not only peace in their own territory but also respite to spread their message in the
surrounding territories. Accordingly the Prophet addressed letters to the rulers of Persia, Egypt and the Ro-
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man Empire and the chiefs of Arabia, inviting them to Islam. At the same time the missionaries of Islam
spread among the clans and tribes and invited them to accept the Divine Way of God. These were the cir-
cumstances at the time when al-Maidah was revealed.
Topics
It deals with the following three main topics:
1. Commandments and instructions about the religious, cultural and political life of the Muslims. In
this connection a code of ceremonial rules concerning the journey for Hajj has been prescribed; the
observance of strict respect for the emblems of God has been enjoined; and any kind of obstruc-
tion or interference with the pilgrims to the Ka'bah has been prohibited. Definite rules and regula-
tions have been laid down for what is lawful and unlawful in the matter of food and self-imposed
foolish restrictions of the pre-Islamic age have been abolished. Permission has been given to take
food with the people of the Book and to marry their women. Rules and regulations for the perfor-
mance of Wudu (ablutions) and bath and purification and tayammum (ablutions with dust) have
been prescribed. Punishment for rebellion, disturbance of peace and theft have been specified.
Drinking and gambling have absolutely been made unlawful. Expiation for the breaking of oath has
been laid down and a few more things have been added to the law of evidence.
2. Admonition to the Muslims. Now that the Muslims had become a ruling body it was feared that
power might corrupt them. At this period of great trial God had admonished them over and over
again to stick to justice and to guard against the wrong behaviour of their predecessors the people
of the Book. They have been enjoined to remain steadfast to the Covenant of obedience to God
and His Messenger and to observe strictly their commands and prohibitions in order to save them-
selves from the evil consequences which befell the Jews and the Christians who had violated them.
They have been instructed to observe the dictates of the Qur'an in the conduct of all their affairs
and warned against the attitude of hypocrisy.
3. Admonition to the Jews and the Christians. As the power of the Jews had been totally weakened
and almost all their habitations in north Arabia had come under the rule of the Muslims they have
been warned again about their wrong attitude and invited to follow the Right Way. At the same
time a detailed invitation has also been extended to the Christians. The errors of their creeds have
been clearly pointed out and they have been admonished to accept the guidance of the Prophet. In-
cidentally it may be noted that no direct invitation has been made to the Majoos (fire-worshippers)
and idolaters living in the adjoining countries because there was no need for a separate address for
them as their condition had already been covered by the addresses to the polyfheist Arabs.
Subject: Consolidation of the Islamic Community.
In continuation of the instructions about the consolidation of the Islamic Community given in the previous
Surah the Muslims have been directed to observe and fulfill all their obligations: further regulations have
been prescribed to train the Muslims for that purpose. They have also been particularly warned as rulers to
guard against the corruption of power and directed to observe the Covenant of the Qur'an. They have also
been exhorted to learn lessons from the failings of their predecessors the Jews and the Christians who in
their turn have been admonished to give up their wrong attitudes towards the Right Way and accept the
guidance taught by Prophet Muhammad.
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Surah 5: al-Ma'idah 208
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. O you who have believed, fulfill [all]
contracts. 209 Lawful for you are the an-
imals of gra2ing livestock except for
that which is recited to you [in this
Qur'an] - hunting not being permitted
while you are in the state of ihram. 210
Indeed, God ordains what He intends.
2. O you who have believed, do not vi-
olate the rites of God or [the sanctity
of] the sacred month or [neglect the
marking of] the sacrificial animals and
garlanding [them] or [violate the safety
of] those coming to the Sacred House
seeking bounty from their Lord and
[His] approval. But when you come out
of ihram, then [you may] hunt. And do
not let the hatred of a people for hav-
ing obstructed you from al-Masjid al-
Haram lead you to transgress. And
cooperate in righteousness and piety,
but do not cooperate in sin and aggres-
sion. And fear God; indeed, God is se-
vere in penalty.
3. Prohibited to you are dead animals, 211
blood, the flesh of swine, and that
which has been dedicated to other than
God, and [those animals] killed by
strangling or by a violent blow or by a
head-long fall or by the goring of
horns, and those from which a wild an-
imal has eaten, except what you [are
able to] slaughter [before its death], and
208 Al-Ma'idah. The Table, referring to the table
spread with food requested by the disciples of
Jesus in verse 112.
209 Which includes promises, covenants, oaths,
etc.
210 The state or ritual consecration for hajj or
'umrah.
211 See footnote to 2:173.
those which are sacrificed on stone al-
tars, 212 and [prohibited is] that you seek
decision through divining arrows. That
is grave disobedience. This day those
who disbelieve have despaired of [de-
feating] your religion; so fear them not,
but fear Me. This day I have perfected
for you your religion and completed
My favor upon you and have approved
for you Islam as religion. But whoever
is forced by severe hunger with no in-
clination to sin - then indeed, God is
Forgiving and Merciful.
4. They ask you, [O Muhammad], what
has been made lawful for them. Say,
"Lawful for you are [all] good foods
and [game caught by] what you have
trained of hunting animals 213 which you
train as God has taught you. So eat of
what they catch for you, and mention
the name of God upon it, and fear
God." Indeed, God is swift in account.
5. This day [all] good foods have been
made lawful, and the food of those
who were given the Scripture is lawful
for you and your food is lawful for
them. And [lawful in marriage are]
chaste women from among the believ-
ers and chaste women from among
those who were given the Scripture be-
fore you, when you have given them
their due compensation, 214 desiring
chastity, not unlawful sexual inter-
course or taking [secret] lovers. And
whoever denies the faith - his work has
become worthless, and he, in the He-
reafter, will be among the losers.
6. O you who have believed, when you
rise to [perform] prayer, wash your fac-
es and your forearms to the elbows and
212 In the name of anything other that God.
213 Such as dogs, falcons, etc.
214 The specified bridal gift (mahf).
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5: The Table
wipe over your heads and wash your
feet to the ankles. And if you are in a
state of janabah, 215 then purify your-
selves. But if you are ill or on a journey
or one of you comes from the place of
relieving himself or you have contacted
women 216 and do not find water, then
seek clean earth and wipe over your
faces and hands with it. God does not
intend to make difficulty for you, but
He intends to purify you and complete
His favor upon you that you may be
grateful.
12. And God had already taken a covenant
from the Children of Israel, and We de-
legated from among them twelve lead-
ers. And God said, "I am with you. If
you establish prayer and give zakah and
believe in My messengers and support
them and loan God a goodly loan, 217 I
will surely remove from you your mis-
deeds and admit you to gardens be-
neath which rivers flow. But whoever
of you disbelieves after that has certain-
ly strayed from the soundness of the
way."
10.
11.
And remember the favor of God upon
you and His covenant with which He
bound you when you said, "We hear
and we obey"; and fear God. Indeed,
God is Knowing of that within the
breasts.
O you who have believed, be persis-
tendy standing firm for God, witnesses
in justice, and do not let the hatred of a
people prevent you from being just. Be
just; that is nearer to righteousness.
And fear God; indeed, God is Ac-
quainted with what you do.
God has promised those who believe
and do righteous deeds [that] for them
there is forgiveness and great reward.
But those who disbelieve and deny Our
signs - those are the companions of
Hellfire.
O you who have believed, remember
the favor of God upon you when a
people determined to extend their
hands [in aggression] against you, but
He withheld their hands from you; and
fear God. And upon God let the be-
lievers rely.
215 See footnote to 4:43.
216 i.e., had sexual intercourse.
13. So for their breaking of the covenant
We cursed them and made their hearts
hard. They distort words from their
[proper] places [i.e., usages] and have
forgotten a portion of that of which
they were reminded. 218 And you will
still observe deceit among them, except
a few of them. But pardon them and
overlook [their misdeeds]. Indeed, God
loves the doers of good.
14. And from those who say, "We are
Christians" We took their covenant;
but they forgot a portion of that of
which they were reminded. 219 So We
caused among them 220 animosity and
hatred until the Day of Resurrection.
And God is going to inform them
about what they used to do.
15. O People of the Scripture, there has
come to you Our Messenger making
clear to you much of what you used to
conceal of the Scripture and overlook-
217 By spending in the cause of God, seeking His
reward.
218 In the Torah concerning the coming of
Prophet Muhammad.
219 In the Gospel concerning the coming of
Prophet Muhammad.
220 i.e., among their various denominations or
sects.
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ing much. 221 There has come to you
from God a light and a clear Book [i.e.,
the Qur'an]
16. By which God guides those who pur-
sue His pleasure to the ways of peace 222
and brings them out from darknesses
into the light, by His permission, and
guides them to a straight path.
1 7. They have certainly disbelieved who say
that God is Christ, the son of Mary.
Say, "Then who could prevent God at
all if He had intended to destroy Christ,
the son of Mary, or his mother or eve-
ryone on the earth?" And to God be-
longs the dominion of the heavens and
the earth and whatever is between
them. He creates what He wills, and
God is over all things competent.
18. But the Jews and the Christians say,
"We are the children of God and His
beloved." Say, "Then why does He pu-
nish you for your sins?" Rather, you are
human beings from among those He
has created. He forgives whom He
wills, and He punishes whom He wills.
And to God belongs the dominion of
the heavens and the earth and whatever
is between them, and to Him is the [fi-
nal] destination.
19. O People of the Scripture, there has
come to you Our Messenger to make
clear to you [the religion] after a period
[of suspension] of messengers, lest you
say, "There came not to us any bringer
of good tidings or a warner." But there
has come to you a bringer of good tid-
ings and a warner. And God is over all
things competent.
221 Of your sin in that regard.
222 i.e., security, well-being, integrity and escape
from Hellfire. Literally, "freedom from all evil."
20. And [mention, O Muhammad], when
Moses said to his people, "O my
people, remember the favor of God
upon you when He appointed among
you prophets and made you posses-
sors 223 and gave you that which He had
not given anyone among the worlds.
21. O my people, enter the Holy Land [i.e.,
Palestine] which God has assigned to
you and do not turn back [from fight-
ing in God's cause] and [thus] become
losers."
22. They said, "O Moses, indeed within it
is a people of tyrannical strength, and
indeed, we will never enter it until they
leave it; but if they leave it, then we will
enter."
23. Said two men from those who feared
[to disobey] upon whom God had bes-
towed favor, "Enter upon them
through the gate, for when you have
entered it, you will be predominant. 224
And upon God rely, if you should be
believers."
24. They said, "O Moses, indeed we will
not enter it, ever, as long as they are
within it; so go, you and your Lord, and
fight. Indeed, we are remaining right
here."
25. [Moses] said, "My Lord, indeed I do
not possess [i.e., control] except myself
and my brother, so part us 225 from the
defiantly disobedient people."
26. [God] said, "Then indeed, it is forbid-
den to them for forty years [in which]
223 Of all that you need — specifically, homes,
wives, and servants. Or "sovereigns," i.e., those
of independent authority.
224 i.e., If you obey the command of God trusting
in Him, He will fulfil His promise to you.
225Q r "distinguish us" or "judge between us."
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they will wander throughout the land.
So do not grieve over the defiantly dis-
obedient people."
27. And recite to them the story of Adam's
two sons, in truth, when they both of-
fered a sacrifice [to God], and it was
accepted from one of them but was not
accepted from the other. Said [the lat-
ter], "I will surely kill you." Said [the
former], "Indeed, God only accepts
from the righteous [who fear Him] .
28. If you should raise your hand against
me to kill me - 1 shall not raise my hand
against you to kill you. Indeed, I fear
God, Lord of the worlds.
29. Indeed, I want you to obtain [thereby]
my sin and your sin so you will be
among the companions of the Fire.
And that is the recompense of wrong-
doers."
30. And his soul permitted to him 226 the
murder of his brother, so he killed him
and became among the losers.
whoever saves one 230 - it is as if he had
saved mankind entirely. And our mes-
sengers had certainly come to them
with clear proofs. Then indeed many of
them, [even] after that, throughout the
land, were transgressors. 231
33. Indeed, the penalty 232 for those who
wage war 233 against God and His Mes-
senger and strive upon earth [to cause]
corruption is none but that they be
killed or crucified or that their hands
and feet be cut off from opposite sides
or that they be exiled from the land.
That is for them a disgrace in this
world; and for them in the Hereafter is
a great punishment,
34. Except for those who return [repent-
ing] before you overcome [i.e., appre-
hend] them. And know that God is
Forgiving and Merciful.
35. O you who have believed, fear God
and seek the means [of nearness] to
Him and strive in His cause that you
may succeed.
31. Then God sent a crow searching [i.e.,
scratching] in the ground to show him
how to hide the disgrace 227 of his
brother. He said, "O woe to me! Have I
failed to be like this crow and hide the
disgrace [i.e., body] of my brother?"
And he became of the regretful.
36. Indeed, those who disbelieve - if they
should have all that is in the earth and
the like of it with it by which to ransom
themselves from the punishment of the
Day of Resurrection, it will not be ac-
cepted from them, and for them is a
painful punishment.
32. Because of that, We decreed upon the
Children of Israel that whoever kills a
soul unless for a soul 228 or for corrup-
tion [done] in the land 229 - it is as if he
had slain mankind entirely. And
226 i.e., the killer allowed himself.
227 Referring to the dead body, evidence of his
shameful deed.
228 i.e., in legal retribution for murder.
229 i.e., that requiring the death penalty.
37. They will wish to get out of the Fire,
but never are they to emerge therefrom,
and for them is an enduring punish-
ment.
230 Q r refrains from killing.
231 Heedless of God's limits, negligent of their
responsibilities.
232 Legal retribution.
233 i.e., commit acts of violence and terrorism
against individuals or treason and aggression
against the Islamic state.
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38. [As for] the thief, the male and the fe-
male, amputate their hands in recom-
pense for what they earned [i.e., com-
mitted] as a deterrent [punishment]
from God. And God is Exalted in
Might and Wise.
39. But whoever repents after his wrong-
doing and reforms, indeed, God will
turn to him in forgiveness. Indeed,
God is Forgiving and Merciful.
40. Do you not know that to God belongs
the dominion of the heavens and the
earth? He punishes whom He wills and
forgives whom He wills, and God is
over all things competent.
41. O Messenger, let them not grieve you
who hasten into disbelief of those who
say, "We believe" with their mouths,
but their hearts believe not, and from
among the Jews. [They are] avid listen-
ers to falsehood, listening to another
people who have not come to you. 234
They distort words beyond their [prop-
er] places [i.e., usages], saying "If you
are given this, 235 take it; but if you are
not given it, then beware." But he for
whom God intends fitnah 236 - never
will you possess [power to do] for him
a thing against God. Those are the ones
for whom God does not intend to puri-
fy their hearts. For them in this world is
disgrace, and for them in the Hereafter
is a great punishment.
42. [They are] avid listeners to falsehood,
devourers of [what is] unlawful. So if
they come to you, [O Muhammad],
judge between them or turn away from
234 They had not attended the Prophet's gather-
ings or heard his words.
235 The legal ruling desired by them.
236 The meaning here is misbelieve, misconcep-
tion, or self-delusion as result of one's own refus-
al of truth.
them. And if you turn away from them
- never will they harm you at all. And if
you judge, judge between them with
justice. Indeed, God loves those who
act justly.
43. But how is it that they come to you for
judgement while they have the Torah,
in which is the judgement of God?
Then they turn away, [even] after that;
but those are not [in fact] believers.
44. Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in
which was guidance and light. The
prophets who submitted [to God]
judged by it for the Jews, as did the
rabbis and scholars by that with which
they were entrusted of the Scripture of
God, and they were witnesses thereto.
So do not fear the people but fear Me,
and do not exchange My verses for a
small price [i.e., worldly gain]. And
whoever does not judge by what God
has revealed - then it is those who are
the disbelievers.
45. And We ordained for them therein a
life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose
for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for
a tooth, and for wounds is legal retribu-
tion. But whoever gives [up his right as]
charity, it is an expiation for him. And
whoever does not judge by what God
has revealed - then it is those who are
the wrongdoers [i.e., the unjust],
46. And We sent, following in their foot-
steps, 237 Jesus, the son of Mary, con-
firming that which came before him in
the Torah; and We gave him the Gos-
pel, in which was guidance and light
and confirming that which preceded it
of the Torah as guidance and instruc-
tion for the righteous.
237 i.e., following the tradition of the prophets of
the Children of Israel.
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47. And let the People of the Gospel judge
by what God has revealed therein. And
whoever does not judge by what God
has revealed - then it is those who are
the defiantly disobedient.
48. And We have revealed to you, [O Mu-
hammad], the Book [i.e., the Qur'an] in
truth, confirming that which preceded
it of the Scripture and as a criterion
over it. So judge between them by what
God has revealed and do not follow
their inclinations away from what has
come to you of the truth. To each of
you We prescribed a law and a me-
thod. 238 Had God willed, He would
have made you one nation [united in
religion], but [He intended] to test you
in what He has given you; so race to [all
that is] good. 239 To God is your return
all together, and He will [then] inform
you concerning that over which you
used to differ.
49. And judge, [O Muhammad], between
them by what God has revealed and do
not follow their inclinations and beware
of them, lest they tempt you away from
some of what God has revealed to you.
And if they turn away - then know that
God only intends to afflict them with
some of their [own] sins. And indeed,
many among the people are defiantly
disobedient.
50. Then is it the judgement of [the time
of] ignorance they desire? But who is
better than God in judgement for a
people who are certain [in faith] .
51. O you who have believed, do not take
the Jews and the Christians as allies.
238 Prior to his revelation, which supersedes all
previous scriptures.
239 i.e., obedience to God according to what He
enjoined in the Qur'an and through the sunnah of
His Prophet.
They are [in fact] allies of one another.
And whoever is an ally to them among
you - then indeed, he is [one] of them.
Indeed, God guides not the wrong-
doing people.
52. So you see those in whose hearts is dis-
ease [i.e., hypocrisy] hastening into [as-
sociation with] them, saying, "We are
afraid a misfortune may strike us." But
perhaps God will bring conquest or a
decision from Him, and they will be-
come, over what they have been con-
cealing within themselves, regretful.
53. And those who believe will say, 240 "Are
these the ones who swore by God their
strongest oaths that indeed they were
with you?" Their deeds have become
worthless, and they have become los-
ers.
54. O you who have believed, whoever of
you should revert from his religion -
God will bring forth [in place of them]
a people He will love and who will love
Him [who are] humble toward the be-
lievers, powerful against the disbeliev-
ers; they strive in the cause of God and
do not fear the blame of a critic. That is
the favor of God; He bestows it upon
whom He wills. And God is all-
Encompassing and Knowing.
55. Your ally is none but God and [there-
fore] His Messenger and those who
have believed - those who establish
prayer and give zakah, and they bow [in
worship] .
56. And whoever is an ally of God and His
Messenger and those who have be-
lieved - indeed, the party of God - they
will be the predominant.
240 About the hypocrites after their exposure.
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57. O you who have believed, take not
those who have taken your religion in
ridicule and amusement among the
ones who were given the Scripture be-
fore you nor the disbelievers as allies.
And fear God, if you should [truly] be
believers.
58. And when you call to prayer, they take
it in ridicule and amusement. That is
because they are a people who do not
use reason.
59. Say, "O People of the Scripture, do you
resent us except [for the fact] that we
have believed in God and what was re-
vealed to us and what was revealed be-
fore and because most of you are de-
fiantly disobedient?"
60. Say, "Shall I inform you of [what is]
worse than that 241 as penalty from
God? [It is that of] those whom God
has cursed and with whom He became
angry and made of them apes and pigs
and slaves of taghut. 242 Those are worse
in position and further astray from the
sound way."
61. And when they come to you, they say,
"We believe." But they have entered
with disbelief [in their hearts], and they
have certainly left with it. And God is
most knowing of what they were con-
cealing.
62. And you see many of them hastening
into sin and aggression and the devour-
ing of [what is] unlawful. How
wretched is what they have been doing.
63. Why do the rabbis and religious scho-
lars not forbid them from saying what
241 Referring to the punishment of the people of
the Scripture (in their censure on the Muslims)
claimed was deserved by them.
242 See footnote to 2:256.
is sinful and devouring what is unlaw-
ful? How wretched is what they have
been practicing.
64. And the Jews say, "The hand of God is
chained." 243 Chained are their hands,
and cursed are they for what they say.
Rather, both His hands are extended;
He spends however He wills. And that
which has been revealed to you from
your Lord will surely increase many of
them in transgression and disbelief.
And We have cast among them ani-
mosity and hatred until the Day of Re-
surrection. Every time they kindled the
fire of war [against you], God extin-
guished it. And they strive throughout
the land [causing] corruption, and God
does not like corrupters.
65. And if only the People of the Scripture
had believed and feared God, We
would have removed from them their
misdeeds and admitted them to Gar-
dens of Pleasure.
66. And if only they upheld [the law of] the
Torah, the Gospel, and what has been
revealed to them from their Lord [i.e.,
the Qur'an], they would have con-
sumed [provision] from above them
and from beneath their feet. 244 Among
them are a moderate [i.e., acceptable]
community, but many of them - evil is
that which they do.
67. O Messenger, announce that which has
been revealed to you from your Lord,
and if you do not, then you have not
conveyed His message. And God will
protect you from the people. Indeed,
God does not guide the disbelieving
people.
243 Implying inability to give or stinginess.
244 i.e., in great abundance.
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68. Say, "O People of the Scripture, you 73.
are [standing] on nothing until you
uphold [the law of] the Torah, the
Gospel, and what has been revealed to
you from your Lord [i.e., the Qur'an]."
And that which has been revealed to
you from your Lord will surely increase
many of them in transgression and dis-
belief. So do not grieve over the disbe- 74.
lieving people.
69. Indeed, those who have believed [in
Prophet Muhammad] and those [before 75.
him] who were Jews or Sabeans or
Christians - those [among them] who
believed in God and the Last Day and
did righteousness - no fear will there be
concerning them, nor will they
grieve. 245
They have certainly disbelieved who
say, "God is the third of three." 246 And
there is no god except one God. And if
they do not desist from what they are
saying, there will surely afflict the disbe-
lievers among them a painful punish-
ment.
So will they not repent to God and seek
His forgiveness? And God is Forgiving
and Merciful.
The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but
a messenger; [other] messengers have
passed on before him. And his mother
was a supporter of truth. They both
used to eat food. 247 Look how We
make clear to them the signs; then look
how they are deluded.
70. We had already taken the covenant of
the Children of Israel and had sent to
them messengers. Whenever there
came to them a messenger with what
their souls did not desire, a party [of
messengers] they denied, and another
party they killed.
71. And they thought there would be no
[resulting] punishment, so they became
blind and deaf. Then God turned to
them in forgiveness; then [again] many
of them became blind and deaf. And
God is Seeing of what they do.
72. They have certainly disbelieved who
say, "God is the Messiah, the son of
Mary" while the Messiah has said, "O
Children of Israel, worship God, my
Lord and your Lord." Indeed, he who
associates others with God - God has
forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge
is the Fire. And there are not for the
wrongdoers any helpers.
245 See footnote to 2:62.
76. Say, "Do you worship besides God that
which holds for you no [power of]
harm or benefit while it is God who is
the Hearing, the Knowing?"
77. Say, "O People of the Scripture, do not
exceed limits in your religion beyond
the truth and do not follow the inclina-
tions of a people who had gone astray
before and misled many and have
strayed from the soundness of the
way."
78. Cursed were those who disbelieved
among the Children of Israel by the
tongue of David and of Jesus, the son
of Mary. That was because they dis-
obeyed and [habitually] transgressed.
79. They used not to prevent one another
from wrongdoing that they did. How
wretched was that which they were
doing.
246 i.e., one part of three, referring to the Chris-
tians concept of trinity.
247 They were in need of sustenance, proving that
they were creations of God, not divine beings.
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80. You see many of them becoming allies
of those who disbelieved [i.e., the po-
lytheists]. How wretched is that which
they have put forth for themselves in
that God has become angry with them,
and in the punishment they will abide
eternally.
81. And if they had believed in God and
the Prophet and in what was revealed
to him, they would not have taken
them as allies; but many of them are
defiandy disobedient.
82. You will surely find the most intense of
the people in animosity toward the be-
lievers [to be] the Jews and those who
associate others with God; and you will
find the nearest of them in affection to
the believers those who say, "We are
Christians." That is because among
them are priests and monks and be-
cause they are not arrogant.
83. And when they hear what has been
revealed to the Messenger, you see their
eyes overflowing with tears because of
what they have recognized of the truth.
They say, "Our Lord, we have believed,
so register us among the witnesses.
84. And why should we not believe in God
and what has come to us of the truth?
And we aspire that our Lord will admit
us [to Paradise] with the righteous
people."
85. So God rewarded them for what they
said 248 with gardens [in Paradise] be-
neath which rivers flow, wherein they
abide eternally. And that is the reward
of doers of good.
248 i.e., their admission and acceptance of the
truth and commitment to God's religion (Islam).
86. But those who disbelieved and denied
Our signs - they are the companions of
Hellfire.
87. O you who have believed, do not pro-
hibit the good things which God has
made lawful to you and do not trans-
gress. Indeed, God does not like trans-
gressors.
88. And eat of what God has provided for
you [which is] lawful and good. And
fear God, in whom you are believers.
89. God will not impose blame upon you
for what is meaningless 249 in your
oaths, but He will impose blame upon
you for [breaking] what you intended of
oaths. So its expiation 250 is the feeding
of ten needy people from the average
of that which you feed your [own]
families or clothing them or the freeing
of a slave. But whoever cannot find [or
afford it] - then a fast of three days [is
required]. That is the expiation for
oaths when you have sworn. But guard
your oaths. 251 Thus does God make
clear to you His verses [i.e., revealed
law] that you may be grateful.
90. O you who have believed, indeed, in-
toxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on]
stone alters [to other than God], and
divining arrows are but defilement
from the work of Satan, so avoid 252 it
that you may be successful.
249 i.e., what is sworn to only out of habit of
speech or what one utters carelessly without true
intent.
250 i.e., that for a deliberate oath.
251 i.e., do not take oaths indiscriminately or swear
to do that which is sinful, requiring expiation.
252 The prohibition understood from the word
"avoid" is stronger than if God had merely said,
"Abstain." The former requires distancing oneself
from anything remotely related to these practices.
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91. Satan only wants to cause between you
animosity and hatred through intox-
icants and gambling and to avert you
from the remembrance of God and
from prayer. So will you not desist?
92. And obey God and obey the Messenger
and beware. And if you turn away -
then know that upon Our Messenger is
only [the responsibility for] clear notifi-
cation.
93. There is not upon those who believe
and do righteousness [any] blame con-
cerning what they have eaten [in the
past] if they [now] fear God and believe
and do righteous deeds, and then fear
God and believe, and then fear God
and do good; and God loves the doers
of good.
94. O you who have believed, God will
surely test you through something of
the game that your hands and spears
[can] reach, that God may make evident
those who fear Him unseen. And
whoever transgresses after that - for
him is a painful punishment.
95. O you who have believed, do not kill
game while you are in the state of
ihram. 253 And whoever of you kills it
intentionally - the penalty is an equiva-
lent from sacrificial animals to what he
killed, as judged by two just men
among you as an offering [to God] de-
livered to the Ka'bah, or an expiation:
the feeding of needy people or the
equivalent of that in fasting, that he
may taste the consequence of his mat-
ter [i.e., deed]. God has pardoned what
is past; but whoever returns [to viola-
tion], then God will take retribution
from him. And God is Exalted in
Mght and Owner of Retribution.
253 See footnote to 5:1.
96. Lawful to you is game from the sea and
its food as provision for you and the
travelers, 254 but forbidden to you is
game from the land as long as you are
in the state of ihram. And fear God to
whom you will be gathered.
97. God has made the Ka'bah, the Sacred
House, standing 255 for the people and
[has sanctified] the sacred months and
the sacrificial animals and the garlands
[by which they are identified]. That is
so you may know that God knows
what is in the heavens and what is in
the earth and that God is Knowing of
all things.
98. Know that God is severe in penalty and
that God is Forgiving and Merciful.
99. Not upon the Messenger is [responsi-
bility] except [for] notification. And
God knows whatever you reveal and
whatever you conceal.
100. Say, "Not equal are the evil and the
good, although the abundance of evil
might impress you." So fear God, O
you of understanding, that you may be
successful.
101. O you who have believed, do not ask
about things which, if they are shown
to you, will distress you. But if you ask
about them while the Qur'an is being
revealed, they will be shown to you.
God has pardoned it [i.e., that which is
past]; and God is Forgiving and For-
bearing.
254 Fishing and eating whatever is caught from the
sea is permitted even during ihram,
255 Conspicuously as a symbol of God's religion.
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102. A people asked such [questions] before
you; then they became thereby disbe-
lievers. 256
103. God has not appointed [such innova-
tions as] bahlrah or sa'ibah or wasilah
or ham. 257 But those who disbelieve in-
vent falsehood about God, and most of
them do not reason.
1 04. And when it is said to them, "Come to
what God has revealed and to the Mes-
senger," they say, "Sufficient for us is
that upon which we found our fathers."
Even though their fathers knew noth-
ing, nor were they guided?
105. O you who have believed, upon you is
[responsibility for] yourselves. Those
who have gone astray will not harm you
when you have been guided. To God is
your return all together; then He will
inform you of what you used to do.
106. O you who have believed, testimony
[should be taken] among you when
death approaches one of you at the
time of bequest - [that of] two just men
from among you or two others from
outside if you are traveling through the
land and the disaster of death should
strike you. Detain them after the prayer
and let them both swear by God if you
doubt [their testimony, saying], "We
will not exchange it [i.e., our oath] for a
price [i.e., worldly gain], even if he
should be a near relative, and we will
not withhold the testimony of [i.e., or-
dained by] God. Indeed, we would then
be of the sinful."
256 By their unwillingness to carry out what was
commanded to them.
257 Categories of particular camels which were
dedicated to the idols and set free to pasture,
liberated from the service of man.
107. But if it is found that those two were
guilty of sin [i.e., perjury], let two others
stand in their place [who are] foremost
[in claim] from those who have a lawful
right. And let them swear by God,
"Our testimony is truer than their tes-
timony, and we have not transgressed.
Indeed, we would then be of the
wrongdoers."
108. That is more likely that they will give
testimony according to its [true] objec-
tive, or [at least] they would fear that
[other] oaths might be taken after their
oaths. And fear God and listen [i.e.,
obey Him]; and God does not guide the
defiantly disobedient people.
109. [Be warned of] the Day when God will
assemble the messengers and say,
"What was the response you received?"
They will say, "We have no knowledge.
Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the
unseen" -
110. [The Day] when God will say, "O Je-
sus, Son of Mary, remember My favor
upon you and upon your mother when
I supported you with the Pure Spirit
[i.e., the angel Gabriel] and you spoke
to the people in the cradle and in ma-
turity; and [remember] when I taught
you writing and wisdom and the Torah
and the Gospel; and when you de-
signed from clay [what was] like the
form of a bird with My permission,
then you breathed into it, and it became
a bird with My permission; and you
healed the blind [from birth] and the
leper with My permission; and when
you brought forth the dead with My
permission; and when I restrained the
Children of Israel from [killing] you
when you came to them with clear
proofs and those who disbelieved
among them said, "This is not but ob-
vious magic."
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5: The Table
111. And [remember] when I inspired to the
disciples, "Believe in Me and in My
messenger [i.e., Jesus]." They said, "We
have believed, so bear witness that in- 117.
deed we are Muslims [in submission to
God]."
112. [And remember] when the disciples
said, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, can your
Lord 258 send down to us a table [spread
with food] from the heaven? [Jesus]
said, "Fear God, if you should be be- 118.
lievers."
113. They said, "We wish to eat from it and
let our hearts be reassured and know
that you have been truthful to us and 119.
be among its witnesses."
114. Said Jesus, the son of Mary, "O God,
our Lord, send down to us a table
[spread with food] from the heaven to
be for us a festival for the first of us
and the last of us and a sign from You.
And provide for us, and You are the 120.
best of providers."
115. God said, "Indeed, I will send it down
to you, but whoever disbelieves after-
wards from among you - then indeed
will I punish him with a punishment by
which I have not punished anyone
among the worlds."
Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the
unseen.
I said not to them except what You
commanded me - to worship God, my
Lord and your Lord. And I was a wit-
ness over them as long as I was among
them; but when You took me up, You
were the Observer over them, and You
are, over all things, Witness.
If You should punish them - indeed
they are Your servants; but if You for-
give them - indeed it is You who is the
Exalted in Might, the Wise."
God will say, "This is the Day when the
truthful will benefit from their truthful-
ness." For them are gardens [in Para-
dise] beneath which rivers flow, where-
in they will abide forever, God being
pleased with them, and they with Him.
That is the great attainment.
To God belongs the dominion of the
heavens and the earth and whatever is
within them. And He is over all things
competent.
116. And [beware the Day] when God will
say, "O Jesus, Son of Maty, did you say
to the people, 'Take me and my mother
as deities besides God?'" He will say,
"Exalted are You! It was not for me to
say that to which I have no right. If I
had said it, You would have known it.
You know what is within myself, and I
do not know what is within Yourself.
i.e., will God consent to. (His ability is un-
doubted)
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Surah 6: al-An'am
Period of Revelation
According to a tradition of Ibn Abbas the whole of the Surah was revealed at one sitting at Makkah. Asma
bint Yazid says, 'During the revelation of this Surah the Holy Prophet was riding on a she-camel and I was holding her nose-
string. The she-camel began to feel the weight so heavily that it seemed as if her bones would break under it. ' We also learn
from other hadith that it was revealed during the last year before the Hijrah (migration) and that the Prophet
dictated the whole of the Surah the same night that it was revealed.
Occasion of Revelation
After determining the period of its revelation it is easier to visualize the background of the Surah. Twelve
years had passed since the Prophet had been inviting the people to Islam. The antagonism and persecution
by the Quraysh had become most savage and brutal and the majority of the Muslims had to leave their
homes and migrate to Abyssinia. Above all the two great supporters of the Prophet, Abu Talib and his wife
Khadijah were no more to help and give strength to him. Thus he was deprived of all the worldly support.
But in spite of this he carried on his mission in the teeth of opposition. As a result of this on the one hand all
the good people of Makkah and the surrounding clans gradually began to accept Islam; on the other hand the
community as a whole was bent upon obduracy and rejection. Therefore if anyone showed any inclination
towards Islam he was subjected to taunts and derision, physical violence and social boycott. It was in these
dark circumstances that a ray of hope gleamed from Yathrib where Islam began to spread freely by the ef-
forts of some influential people of Aws and Khazraj who had embraced Islam at Makkah. This was a humble
beginning in the march of Islam towards success and none could foresee at that time the great potentialities
that lay hidden in it. To a casual observer it appeared at that time as if Islam was merely a weak movement it
had no material backing except the meager support of the Prophet's own family and of the few poor adhe-
rents of the Movement. Obviously the latter could not give much help because they themselves had been
cast out by their own people who had become their enemies and were persecuting them.
Topics
These were the conditions when this discourse was revealed. The main topics dealt with in this discourse
may be divided under seven headings:
1. Refutation of Shirk (polytheism) and invitation to the creed of Tawhid (Oneness of God).
2. Enunciation of the doctrine of the "Life-after-Death" and refutation of the wrong notion that there
was nothing beyond this worldly life.
3. Refutation of the prevalent superstitions.
4. Enunciation of the fundamental moral principles for the building up of the Islamic Society.
5. Answers to the objections raised against the person of the Prophet and his mission.
6. Comfort and encouragement to the Prophet and his followers who were at that time in a state of
anxiety and despondency because of the apparent failure of the mission.
7. Admonition warning and threats to the disbelievers and opponents to give up their apathy and
haughtiness. It must however be noted that the above topics have not been dealt with one by one
under separate headings but the discourse goes on as a continuous whole and these topics come
under discussion over and over again in new and different ways.
The Background of Makki Surahs
As this is the first long Makki Surah in the order of the compilation of the Qur'an it will be useful to explain
the historical background of Makki Surahs in general so that the reader may easily understand the Makki
Surahs and our references to its different stages in connection with our commentary on them. First of all it
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should be noted that comparatively very little material is available in regard to the background of the revela-
tion of Makki Surahs whereas the period of the revelation of all the Madani Surahs is known or can be de-
termined with a little effort. There are authentic hadith even in regard to the occasions of the revelation of
the majority of the verses. On the other hand we do not have such detailed information regarding the Makki
Surahs. There are only a few Surahs and verses which have authentic hadith concerning the time and occa-
sion of their revelation. This is because the history of the Makki period had not been compiled in such detail
as that of the Madani period. Therefore we have to depend on the internal evidence of these Surahs for de-
termining the period of their revelation: for example the topics they discuss their subject matter their style
and the direct or indirect references to the events and the occasions of their revelation. Thus it is obvious
that with the help of such evidence as this we cannot say with precision that such and such Surah or verse
was revealed on such and such an occasion. The most we can do is to compare the internal evidence of a
Surah with the events of the life of the Prophet at Makkah and then come to a more or less correct conclu-
sion as to what particular stage a certain Surah belongs. If we keep the above things in view the history of the
mission of the Prophet at Makkah can be divided into four stages.
1. The first stage began with his appointment as a Messenger and ended with the proclamation of
Prophethood three years later. During this period the Message was given secretly to some selected
persons only but the common people of Makkah were not aware of it.
2. The second stage lasted for two years after the proclamation of his Prophethood. It began with op-
position by individuals: then by and by it took the shape of antagonism ridicule derision accusation
abuse and false propaganda then gangs were formed to persecute those Muslims who were compa-
ratively poor weak' and helpless.
3. The third stage lasted for about six years from the beginning of the persecution to the death of Abu
Talib and Khadijah in the tenth year of Prophethood. During this period the persecution of the
Muslims became so savage and brutal that many of them were forced to migrate to Abyssinia while
social and economic boycott was applied against the remaining Believers.
4. The fourth stage lasted for about three years from the tenth to the thirteenth year of Prophethood.
This was a period of hard trials and grievous sufferings for the Prophet and his followers. Life had
become unendurable at Makkah and there appeared to be no place of refuge even outside it. So
much so that when the Prophet went to Ta'if, it offered no shelter or protection. Besides this, on
the occasion of Hajj, he would appeal to each and every Arab clan to accept his invitation to Islam
but met with blank refusal from every quarter. At the same time, the people of Makkah were hold-
ing counsels to get rid of him by killing or imprisoning or banishing him from their city. It was at
that most critical time that God opened for Islam the hearts of the People of Yathrib where he mi-
grated at their invitation.
In the succeeding Makki Surahs, we will determine on the basis of the distinctive features of each stage, and
point out in the introduction, the particular stage in which a certain Makki Surah was revealed.
Subject: Islamic Creed
This Surah mainly discusses the different aspects of the major articles of the Islamic Creed: Tawhid Life-
after-death, Prophethood and their practical application to human life. Side by side with this it refutes the
erroneous beliefs of the opponents and answers their objections, warns and admonishes them and comforts
the Prophet and his followers who were then suffering from persecution. Of course these themes have not
been dealt with under separate heads but have been blended in an excellent manner.
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Surah 6: al-An'am 259
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. [All] praise is [due] to God, who cre-
ated the heavens and the earth and
made the darkness and the light. Then
those who disbelieve equate [others]
with their Lord.
2. It is He who created you from clay and
then decreed a term 260 and a specified
time [known] to Him; 261 then [still] you
are in dispute.
3. And He is God, [the only deity] in the
heavens and the earth. He knows your
secret and what you make public, and
He knows that which you earn.
4. And no sign comes to them from the
signs of their Lord except that they turn
away therefrom.
5. For they had denied the truth when it
came to them, but there is going to
reach them the news of what they used
to ridicule. 262
6. Have they not seen how many genera-
tions We destroyed before them which
We had established upon the earth as
We have not established you? And We
sent [rain from] the sky upon them in
showers and made rivers flow beneath
them; then We destroyed them for their
sins and brought forth after them a
generation of others.
259 Al-An'am. The Grazing Livestock, specifically:
camels, cattle, sheep and goats, as mentioned in
verses 143-144 of this surah,
260 An appointed time for death.
261 p or resurrection.
262 They will experience the reality of what they
had denied and the consequence of their denial.
7. And even if We had sent down to you,
[O Muhammad], a written scripture on
a page and they touched it with their
hands, the disbelievers would say, "This
is not but obvious magic."
8. And they say, "Why was there not sent
down to him an angel?" 263 But if We
had sent down an angel, the matter
would have been decided; 264 then they
would not be reprieved.
9. And if We had made him [i.e., the mes-
senger] an angel, We would have made
him [appear as] a man, and We would
have covered them with that in which
they cover themselves [i.e., confusion
and doubt],
10. And already were messengers ridiculed
before you, but those who mocked
them were enveloped by that which
they used to ridicule.
1 1 . Say, "Travel through the land; then ob-
serve how was the end of the deniers."
12. Say, "To whom belongs whatever is in
the heavens and earth?" Say, "To God."
He has decreed upon Himself mercy.
He will surely assemble you for the Day
of Resurrection, about which there is
no doubt. Those who will lose them-
selves [that Day] do not believe.
13. And to Him belongs that which reposes
by night and by day, and He is the
Hearing, the Knowing.
14. Say, "Is it other than God I should take
as a protector, Creator of the heavens
and earth, while it is He who feeds and
263 In support of his prophethood.
264 They would have been destroyed immediately
with no chance for repentance.
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15.
is not fed?" Say, [O Muhammad], "In-
deed, I have been commanded to be the
first [among you] who submit [to God]
and [was commanded], 'Do not ever be
of the polytheists.' "
Say, "Indeed I fear, if I should disobey
my Lord, the punishment of a tre-
mendous Day."
18. And He is the subjugator over His ser-
vants. And He is the Wise, the Ac-
quainted [with all].
19. Say, "What thing is greatest in testimo-
ny?" Say, "God is witness between me
and you. And this Qur'an was revealed
to me that I may warn you thereby and
whomever it reaches. 265 Do you [truly]
testify that with God there are other de-
ities?" Say, "I will not testify [with
you]." Say, "Indeed, He is but one God,
and indeed, I am free of what you asso-
ciate [with Him]."
20. Those to whom We have given the
Scripture recognize it 266 as they recog-
nize their [own] sons. Those who will
lose themselves [in the Hereafter] do
not believe.
21. And who is more unjust than one who
invents about God a lie or denies His
265 At every time and place until the Day of
Judgement.
266 The Qur'an. Also interpreted as "him," mean-
ing Muhammad.
verses? Indeed, the wrongdoers will not
succeed.
22. And [mention, O Muhammad], the Day
We will gather them all together; then
We will say to those who associated
others with God, "Where are your
'partners' that you used to claim [with
Him]?"
16. He from whom it is averted that Day - 23.
[God] has granted him mercy. And that
is the clear attainment.
17. And if God should touch you with ad-
versity, there is no remover of it except 24.
Him. And if He touches you with good
- then He is over all things competent.
Then there will be no [excuse upon]
examination except they will say, "By
God, our Lord, we were not those who
associated."
See how they will lie about themselves.
And lost from them will be what they
used to invent.
25. And among them are those who listen
to you, 267 but We have placed over their
hearts coverings, lest they understand it,
and in their ears deafness. And if they
should see every sign, they will not be-
lieve in it. Even when they come to you
arguing with you, those who disbelieve
say, "This is not but legends of the
former peoples."
26. And they prevent [others] from him
and are [themselves] remote from him.
And they do not destroy except them-
selves, but they perceive [it] not.
27. If you could but see when they are
made to stand before the Fire and will
say, "Oh, would that we could be re-
turned [to life on earth] and not deny
the signs of our Lord and be among the
believers."
28. But what they concealed before has
[now] appeared to them. And even if
they were returned, they would return
267 When you recite the Qur'an.
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to that which they were forbidden; and
indeed, they are liars.
29. And they say, "There is none but our
worldly life, and we will not be resur-
rected."
30. If you could but see when they will be
made to stand before their Lord. He
will say, "Is this not the truth?" They
will say, "Yes, by our Lord." He will
[then] say, "So taste the punishment be-
cause you used to disbelieve."
31. Those will have lost who deny the
meeting with God, until when the Hour
[of resurrection] comes upon them un-
expectedly, they will say, "Oh, [how
great is] our regret over what we neg-
lected concerning it [i.e., the Hour],"
while they bear their burdens [i.e., sins]
on their backs. Unquestionably, evil is
that which they bear.
32. And the worldly life is not but amuse-
ment and diversion; but the home of
the Hereafter is best for those who fear
God, so will you not reason?
33. We know that you, [O Muhammad], are
saddened by what they say. And indeed,
they do not call you untruthful, but it is
the verses of God that the wrongdoers
reject.
34. And certainly were messengers denied
before you, but they were patient over
[the effects of] denial, and they were
harmed until Our victory came to them.
And none can alter the words [i.e., de-
crees] of God. And there has certainly
come to you some information about
the [previous] messengers.
35. And if their evasion is difficult for you,
then if you are able to seek a tunnel into
the earth or a stairway into the sky to
bring them a sign, [then do so]. But if
God had willed, He would have united
them upon guidance. So never be of the
ignorant.
36. Only those who hear will respond. But
the dead 268 - God will resurrect them;
then to Him they will be returned.
37. And they say, "Why has a sign not been
sent down to him from his Lord?" Say,
"Indeed, God is Able to send down a
sign, but most of them do not know."
38. And there is no creature on [or within]
the earth or bird that flies with its wings
except [that they are] communities like
you. We have not neglected in the Reg-
ister 269 a thing. Then unto their Lord
they will be gathered.
39. But those who deny Our verses are deaf
and dumb within darknesses. Whomev-
er God wills - He leaves astray; and
whomever He wills - He puts him on a
straight path.
40. Say, "Have you considered: 270 if there
came to you the punishment of God or
there came to you the Hour - is it other
than God you would invoke, if you
should be truthful?"
41 . No, it is Him [alone] you would invoke,
and He would remove that for which
you invoked Him if He willed, and you
would forget what you associate [with
Him].
42. And We have already sent [messengers]
to nations before you, [O Muhammad];
then We seized them with poverty and
268 i.e., the dead of heart, meaning the disbeliev-
ers.
269 The preserved Slate (al-~Lan>h al-Mabfutff), in
which all things are recorded.
270 The meaning is understood to be "Tell me. . ."
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hardship that perhaps they might hum-
ble themselves [to Us].
43. Then why, when Our punishment came
to them, did they not humble them-
selves? But their hearts became har-
dened, and Satan made attractive to
them that which they were doing.
44. So when they forgot that by which they
had been reminded, 271 We opened to
them the doors of every [good] thing
until, when they rejoiced in that which
they were given, We seized them sud-
denly, and they were [then] in despair.
45. So the people that committed wrong
were eliminated. And praise to God,
Lord of the worlds.
46. Say, "Have you considered: 272 if God
should take away your hearing and your
sight and set a seal upon your hearts,
which deity other than God could bring
them [back] to you?" Look how We di-
versify 273 the verses; then they [still]
turn away.
47. Say, "Have you considered: if the pu-
nishment of God should come to you
unexpectedly or manifestly, 274 will any
be destroyed but the wrongdoing
people?"
48. And We send not the messengers ex-
cept as bringers of good tidings and
warners. So whoever believes and re-
forms - there will be no fear concerning
them, nor will they grieve.
271 i.e., their trial by poverty and hardship or the
warnings of their prophets.
272 See footnote to verse 40.
273 Repeat in various ways for emphasis and clari-
fication.
274 i.e., before your eyes.
49. But those who deny Our verses - the
punishment will touch 275 them for their
defiant disobedience.
50. Say, [O Muhammad], "I do not tell you
that I have the depositories [containing
the provision] of God or that I know
the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am
an angel. I only follow what is revealed
to me." Say, "Is the blind equivalent to
the seeing? Then will you not give
thought?"
51. And warn by it [i.e., the Qur'an] those
who fear that they will be gathered be-
fore their Lord - for them besides Him
will be no protector and no intercessor
- that they might become righteous.
52. And do not send away those who call
upon their Lord morning and after-
noon, seeking His countenance. Not
upon you is anything of their account
and not upon them is anything of your
account. 276 So were you to send them
away, you would [then] be of the
wrongdoers.
53. And thus We have tried some of them
through others that they [i.e., the disbe-
lievers] might say, "Is it these whom
God has favored among us?" Is not
God most knowing of those who are
grateful? 277
54. And when those come to you who be-
lieve in Our verses, say, "Peace be upon
275 i.e., reach and afflict.
276 No one is held accountable for the deeds or
intentions of another. That is left to God's
judgement.
277 Those referred to in verses 52-54 are the poor
Muslims who were sincere believers and students
of the Prophet. The influential leaders of Qu-
raysh had disdained to sit with them, saying to
Prophet Muhammad, "Perhaps if you evicted
them, we would follow you."
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you. Your Lord has decreed upon Him-
self mercy: that any of you who does
wrong out of ignorance and then re-
pents after that and corrects himself -
indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful."
55. And thus do We detail the verses, and
[thus] the way of the criminals will be-
come evident.
56. Say, "Indeed, I have been forbidden to
worship those you invoke besides
God." Say, "I will not follow your de-
sires, for I would then have gone astray,
and I would not be of the [righdy]
guided."
57. Say, "Indeed, I am on clear evidence
from my Lord, and you have denied it. I
do not have that for which you are im-
patient. 278 The decision is only for God.
He relates the truth, and He is the best
of deciders."
58. Say, "If I had that for which you are
impatient, the matter would have been
decided between me and you, but God
is most knowing of the wrongdoers."
59. And with Him are the keys of the un-
seen; none knows them except Him.
And He knows what is on the land and
in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He
knows it. And no grain is there within
the darknesses of the earth and no
moist or dry [thing] but that it is [writ-
ten] in a clear record.
60. And it is He who takes your souls by
night 279 and knows what you have
committed by day. Then He revives you
therein [i.e., by day] that a specified
term 280 may be fulfilled. Then to Him
will be your return; then He will inform
you about what you used to do.
61. And He is the subjugator over His ser-
vants, and He sends over you guardian-
angels until, when death comes to one
of you, Our messengers [i.e., angles of
death] take him, and they do not fail [in
their duties] .
62. Then they [i.e., His servants] are re-
turned to God, their true Lord. Unques-
tionably, His is the judgement, and He
is the swiftest of accountants.
63. Say, "Who rescues you from the dark-
nesses of the land and sea [when] you
call upon Him imploring [aloud] and
privately, 'If He should save us from
this [crisis], we will surely be among the
thankful.' "
64. Say, "It is God who saves you from it
and from every distress; then you [still]
associate others with Him."
65. Say, "He is the [one] Able to send upon
you affliction from above you or from
beneath your feet or to confuse you [so
you become] sects 281 and make you
taste the violence of one another."
Look how We diversify the signs that
they might understand.
66. But your people have denied it while it
is the truth. Say, "I am not over you a
manager [i.e., authority]."
67. For every news [i.e., happening] is a
finality; 282 and you are going to know.
278 The disbelievers would challenge the Prophet,
telling him to bring on God's punishment if he
should be truthful in his warning.
279 i.e., when you sleep.
280 One's decreed life span.
281 Following your own inclinations rather that
the truth, biased and hostile toward each other.
282 Other shades of meaning include "a perma-
nence," "a realization" and "a time of stability."
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68. And when you see those who engage in
[offensive] discourse 283 concerning Our
verses, then turn away from them until
they enter into another conversion. And
if Satan should cause you to forget, then
do not remain after the reminder with
the wrongdoing people.
69. And those who fear God are not held
accountable for them [i.e., the disbeliev-
ers] at all, but [only for] a reminder -
that perhaps they will fear Him.
70. And leave those who take their religion
as amusement and diversion and whom
the worldly life has deluded. But remind
with it [i.e., the Qur'an], lest a soul be
given up to destruction for what it
earned; it will have other than God no
protector and no intercessor. And if it
should offer every compensation, it
would not be taken from it [i.e., that
soul] . Those are the ones who are given
to destruction for what they have
earned. For them will be a drink of
scalding water and a painful punish-
ment because they used to disbelieve.
71. Say, "Shall we invoke instead of God
that which neither benefits us nor
harms us and be turned back on our
heels after God has guided us? [We
would then be] like one whom the de-
vils enticed [to wander] upon the earth
confused, [while] he has companions
inviting him to guidance, [calling],
'Come to us.' " 284 Say, "Indeed, the
guidance of God is the [only] guidance;
and we have been commanded to sub-
mit to the Lord of the worlds
283 i.e., denials or mockery.
284 The example given is of one who has lost his
way and is further confused by the evil ones who
tempt him to follow various directions, all leading
to destruction. Although his sincere friends call
him back to the right path, he ignores them.
72. And to establish prayer and fear Him."
And it is He to whom you will be ga-
thered.
73. And it is He who created the heavens
and earth in truth. And the day [i.e.,
whenever] He says, "Be," and it is, His
word is the truth. 285 And His is the do-
minion [on] the Day the Horn is blown.
[He is] Knower of the unseen 286 and the
witnessed; 287 and He is the Wise, the
Acquainted.
74. And [mention, O Muhammad], when
Abraham said to his father Azar, "Do
you take idols as deities? Indeed, I see
you and your people to be in manifest
error."
75. And thus did We show Abraham the
realm of the heavens and the earth that
he would be among the certain [in
faith].
76. So when the night covered him [with
darkness], he saw a star. He said, "This
is my lord." 288 But when it set, he said,
"I like not those that set [i.e., disap-
pear]."
77. And when he saw the moon rising, he
said, "This is my lord." But when it set,
285 When interpreted as the "Day" (of resurrec-
tion), the sentence would read: "And the Day He
says, 'Be,' and it is, His word will be the truth."
286 That which is absent, invisible, or beyond the
perception of the senses or of the mind and
therefore is unknown to man, except for what
God chooses to reveal.
287 What is the present, visible and known to
man. The knowledge of God includes the reality
of all things and all occurrences, no matter how
they might appear to human beings.
288 In verses 76-79, beginning from the People's
own assertions, Abraham presents a picture of his
dissatisfaction as the only logical conclusion one
could reach, in order to show them the futility of
their false objects of worship.
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he said, "Unless my Lord guides me, I 84.
will surely be among the people gone
astray."
78. And when he saw the sun rising, he
said, "This is my lord; this is greater."
But when it set, he said, "O my people,
indeed I am free from what you asso-
ciate with God. 85.
87.
79. Indeed, I have turned my face [i.e., self]
toward He who created the heavens and
the earth, inclining toward truth, and I
am not of those who associate others
with God."
80. And his people argued with him. He
said, "Do you argue with me concern-
ing God while He has guided me? And
I fear not what you associate with Him
[and will not be harmed] unless my
Lord should will something. My Lord
encompasses all things in knowledge;
then will you not remember?
81. And how should I fear what you asso-
ciate while you do not fear that you 89.
have associated with God that for
which He has not sent down to you any
authority? So which of the two parties
has more right to security, if you should
know?"
And We gave to him [i.e., Abraham]
Isaac and Jacob - all [of them] We
guided. And Noah, We guided before;
and among his descendants, David and
Solomon and Job and Joseph and Mos-
es and Aaron. Thus do We reward the
doers of good.
And Zechariah and John and Jesus and
Elias - and all were of the righteous.
86. And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and
Lot - and all [of them] We preferred
over the worlds.
And [some] among their fathers and
their descendants and their brothers -
and We chose them and We guided
them to a straight path.
That is the guidance of God by which
He guides whomever He wills of His
servants. But if they had associated oth-
ers with God, then worthless for them
would be whatever they were doing.
Those are the ones to whom We gave
the Scripture and authority and pro-
phethood. But if they [i.e., the disbe-
lievers] deny it, then We have entrusted
it to a people who are not therein disbe-
lievers.
82. They who believe and do not mix their
belief with injustice 289 - those will have
security, and they are [rightly] guided.
83. And that was Our [conclusive] argu-
ment which We gave Abraham against
his people. We raise by degrees whom
We will. Indeed, your Lord is Wise and
Knowing.
90. Those are the ones whom God has
guided, so from their guidance take an
example. Say, "I ask of you for it [i.e.,
this message] no payment. It is not but
a reminder for the worlds."
91. And they did not appraise God with
true appraisal 290 when they said, "God
did not reveal to a human being any-
thing." Say, "Who revealed the Scrip-
ture that Moses brought as light and
289 Specifically, the association of others in divini-
ty with God.
290 i.e., they did not appreciate the extent of His
ability and wisdom.
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guidance to the people? You [Jews]
make it into pages, disclosing [some of]
it and concealing much. And you 291
were taught that which you knew not -
neither you nor your fathers." Say,
"God [revealed it]." Then leave them in
their [empty] discourse, amusing them-
selves.
92. And this is a Book which We have sent
down, blessed and confirming what was
before it, that you may warn the Mother
of Cities [i.e., Makkah] and those
around it. 292 Those who believe in the
Hereafter believe in it, and they are
maintaining their prayers.
93. And who is more unjust than one who
invents a lie about God or says, "It has
been inspired to me," while nothing has
been inspired to him, and one who says,
"I will reveal [something] like what God
revealed." And if you could but see
when the wrongdoers are in the over-
whelming pangs of death while the an-
gels extend their hands, 293 [saying],
"Discharge your souls! Today you will
be awarded the punishment of [ex-
treme] humiliation for what you used to
say against God other than the truth
and [that] you were, toward His verses,
being arrogant."
94. [It will be said to them], "And you have
certainly come to Us alone [i.e., indivi-
dually] as We created you the first time,
and you have left whatever We bes-
towed upon you behind you. And We
do not see with you your 'intercessors'
which you claimed that they were
among you associates [of God]. It has
[all] been severed between you, 294 and
lost from you is what you used to
claim."
95. Indeed, God is the cleaver of grain and
date seeds. 295 He brings the living out of
the dead and brings the dead out of the
living. That is God; so how are you de-
luded?
96. [He is] the cleaver of daybreak and has
made the night for rest and the sun and
moon for calculation. 296 That is the de-
termination of the Exalted in Might, the
Knowing.
97. And it is He who placed for you the
stars that you may be guided by them
through the darknesses of the land and
sea. We have detailed the signs for a
people who know.
98. And it is He who produced you from
one soul and [gave you] a place of dwel-
ling and of storage. 297 We have detailed
the signs for a people who understand.
99. And it is He who sends down rain from
the sky, and We produce thereby the
growth of all things. We produce from
it greenery from which We produce
grains arranged in layers. And from the
palm trees - of its emerging fruit are
clusters hanging low. And [We produce]
gardens of grapevines and olives and
pomegranates, similar yet varied. Look
at [each of] its fruit when it yields and
[at] its ripening. Indeed in that are signs
for a people who believe.
291 The Jews, or it may refer to the believers, who
are taught by the Qur'an.
292 i.e., all other peoples.
293 Striking them, as they are unwilling to give up
their souls for judgement.
294 Between yourselves and the claimed associates
and intercessors.
295 He (God) causes them to split and sprout.
296 Q r "according to calculation," referring to
their precise movement.
297 In the earth. See 77:25-26.
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100. But they have attributed to God part-
ners - the jinn, while He has created
them - and have fabricated for Him
sons and daughters. Exalted is He and
high above what they describe.
101. [He is] Originator of the heavens and
the earth. How could He have a son
when He does not have a companion
[i.e., wife] and He created all things?
And He is, of all things, Knowing.
102. That is God, your Lord; there is no dei-
ty except Him, the Creator of all things,
so worship Him. And He is Disposer of
all things.
103. Vision perceives Him not, 298 but He
perceives [all] vision; and He is the Sub-
de, the Acquainted.
104. There has come to you enlightenment
from your Lord. So whoever will see
does so for [the benefit of] his soul, and
whoever is blind [does harm] against it.
And [say], "I am not a guardian over
you." 299
105. And thus do We diversify the verses so
they [i.e., the disbelievers] will say, "You
have studied," 300 and so We may make
it [i.e., the Qur'an] clear for a people
who know.
106. Follow, [O Muhammad], what has been
revealed to you from your Lord - there
is no deity except Him - and turn away
from those who associate others with
God.
298 In the life of this world. The people of Para-
dise will be able to see God in the Hereafter. See
75:22-23.
299 The Prophet is directed to disassociate himself
from all erroneous belief and practice.
300 Accusing the Prophet of having learned from
the Jews and Christians.
107. But if God had willed, they would not
have associated. And We have not ap-
pointed you over them as a guardian,
nor are you a manager over them. 301
108. And do not insult those they invoke
other than God, lest they insult God in
enmity without knowledge. Thus We
have made pleasing to every community
their deeds. Then to their Lord is their
return, and He will inform them about
what they used to do.
109. And they swear by God their strongest
oaths that if a sign came to them, they
would surely believe in it. Say, "The
signs are only with [i.e., from] God."
And what will make you perceive that
even if it [i.e., a sign] came, they would
not believe.
110. And We will turn away their hearts and
their eyes just as they refused to believe
in it [i.e., the revelation] the first time.
And We will leave them in their trans-
gression, wandering blindly.
111. And even if We had sent down to them
the angels [with the message] and the
dead spoke to them [of it] and We ga-
thered together every [created] thing in
front of them, they would not believe
unless God should will. But most of
them, [of that], are ignorant.
112. And thus We have made for every
prophet an enemy - devils from man-
kind and jinn, inspiring to one another
decorative speech in delusion. But if
your Lord had willed, they would not
have done it, so leave them and that
which they invent.
301 The Prophet's duty did not go beyond delivery
of the message.
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113. And [it is] so the hearts of those who
disbelieve in the Hereafter will incline
toward it [i.e., deceptive speech] and
that they will be satisfied with it and
that they will commit that which they
are committing.
114. [Say], "Then is it other than God I
should seek as judge while it is He who
has revealed to you the Book [i.e., the
Qur'an] explained in detail?" And those
to whom We [previously] gave the
Scripture know that it is sent down
from your Lord in truth, so never be
among the doubters.
115. And the word of your Lord has been
fulfilled in truth and in justice. None
can alter His words, and He is the
Hearing, the Knowing.
116. And if you obey most of those upon
the earth, they will mislead you from
the way of God. They follow not except
assumption, and they are not but falsify-
ing. 302
117. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of
who strays from His way, and He is
most knowing of the [rightly] guided.
118. So eat of that [meat] upon which the
name of God has been mentioned, 303 if
you are believers in His verses [i.e., re-
vealed law] .
119. And why should you not eat of that
upon which the name of God has been
mentioned while He has explained in
detail to you what He has forbidden
you, excepting that to which you are
compelled. 304 And indeed do many lead
302 Out if ignorance, conjecture and supposition.
303 At the time of slaughter.
304 In cases of dire necessity, what is normally
prohibited becomes permissible, but only to the
extent of the need.
[others] astray through their [own] in-
clinations without knowledge. Indeed,
your Lord - He is most knowing of the
transgressors.
120. And leave [i.e., desist from] what is ap-
parent of sin and what is concealed the-
reof. Indeed, those who earn [blame
for] sin will be recompensed for that
which they used to commit.
121. And do not eat of that upon which the
name of God has not been mentioned,
for indeed, it is grave disobedience. And
indeed do the devils inspire their allies
[among men] to dispute with you. And
if you were to obey them, indeed, you
would be associators [of others with
Him]. 305
122. And is one who was dead and We gave
him life and made for him light by
which to walk among the people like
one who is in darkness, never to emerge
therefrom? Thus it has been made
pleasing to the disbelievers that which
they were doing.
123. And thus We have placed within every
city the greatest of its criminals to con-
spire therein. But they conspire not ex-
cept against themselves, and they perce-
ive [it] not.
124. And when a sign comes to them, they
say, "Never will we believe until we are
given like that which was given to the
messengers of God." God is most
knowing of where [i.e., with whom] He
places His message. There will afflict
those who committed crimes debase-
ment before God and severe punish-
ment for what they used to conspire.
305 i.e., by your obedience to them
being the bases of worship.
obedience
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125. So whoever God wants to guide - He
expands his breast to [contain] Islam;
and whoever He wants to misguide 306 -
He makes his breast tight and con-
stricted as though he were climbing into
the sky. Thus does God place defile-
ment upon those who do not believe.
126. And this is the path of your Lord, [lead-
ing] straight. We have detailed the
verses for a people who remember.
127. For them will be the Home of Peace
[i.e., Paradise] with their Lord. And He
will be their protecting friend because
of what they used to do.
128. And [mention, O Muhammad], the Day
when He will gather them together [and
say], "O company of jinn, you have
[misled] many of mankind." And their
allies among mankind will say, "Our
Lord, some of us made use of others,
and we have [now] reached our term
which You appointed for us." He will
say, "The Fire is your residence, where-
in you will abide eternally, except for
what God wills. Indeed, your Lord is
Wise and Knowing."
129. And thus will We make some of the
wrongdoers allies of others for what
they used to earn. 307
130. "O company of jinn and mankind, 308
did there not come to you messengers
from among you, relating to you My
verses and warning you of the meeting
of this Day of yours?" They will say,
306 As a result of the person's arrogance and per-
sistence in sin.
307 Another interpretation pertaining to this world
is "And thus do We make some of the wrong-
doers allies of others for what they have been
earning."
308 They will be reproached thus at the Judge-
ment.
131.
"We bear witness against ourselves";
and the worldly life had deluded them,
and they will bear witness against them-
selves that they were disbelievers.
That is because your Lord would not
destroy the cities for wrongdoing 309
while their people were unaware.
132. And for all are degrees [i.e., positions
resulting] from what they have done.
And your Lord is not unaware of what
they do.
133. And your Lord is the Free of need, the
possessor of mercy. If He wills, He can
do away with you and give succession
after you to whomever He wills, just as
He produced you from the descendants
of another people.
134. Indeed, what you are promised is com-
ing, and you will not cause failure [to
God]. 310
135. Say, "O my people, work according to
your position; [for] indeed, I am work-
ing. And you are going to know who
will have succession in the home. 311 In-
deed, the wrongdoers will not succeed."
136. And they [i.e., the polytheists] assign to
God from that which He created of
crops and livestock a share and say,
"This is for God," by their claim, "and
this is for our 'partners' [associated with
Him]." But what is for their "partners"
does not reach God, while what is for
God - this reaches their "partners." Evil
is that which they rule.
309 Q r " un j us tly."
310 i.e., You will neither escape nor prevent its
occurrence.
311 i.e., in the land or in the Hereafter.
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137. And likewise, to many of the polytheists
their partners 312 have made [to seem]
pleasing the killing of their children in
order to bring about their destruction
and to cover them with confusion in
their religion. And if God had willed,
they would not have done so. So leave
them and that which they invent.
138. And they say, "These animals 313 and
crops are forbidden; no one may eat
from them except whom we will," by
their claim. And there are those [ca-
mels] whose backs are forbidden [by
them] 314 and those upon which the
name of God is not mentioned 315 - [all
of this] an invention of untruth about
Him. 316 He will punish them for what
they were inventing.
139. And they say, "What is in the bellies of
these animals 317 is exclusively for our
males and forbidden to our females.
But if it is [born] dead, then all of them
have shares therein." He will punish
them for their description. 318 Indeed,
He is Wise and Knowing.
140. Those will have lost who killed their
children in foolishness without know-
ledge and prohibited what God had
provided for them, inventing untruth
about God. They have gone astray and
were not [rightly] guided.
141. And He it is who causes gardens to
grow, [both] trellised and untrellised,
and palm trees and crops of different
[kinds of] food and olives and pome-
granates, similar and dissimilar. Eat of
[each of] its fruit when it yields and give
its due [zakah] on the day of its harvest.
And be not excessive. 319 Indeed, He
does not like those who commit excess.
142. And of the grazing livestock are carriers
[of burdens] and those [too] small. Eat
of what God has provided for you and
do not follow the footsteps of Satan. 320
Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.
143. [They are] eight mates - of the sheep,
two and of the goats, two. Say, "Is it the
two males He has forbidden or the two
females or that which the wombs of the
two females contain? Inform me with
knowledge, if you should be truthful."
144. And of the camels, two and of the cat-
tle, two. Say, "Is it the two males He
has forbidden or the two females or
that which the wombs of the two fe-
males contain? Or were you witnesses
when God charged you with this? Then
who is more unjust than one who in-
vents a lie about God to mislead the
people by [something] other than
knowledge? Indeed, God does not
guide the wrongdoing people."
312 Their evil associates.
313 The four categories of grazing livestock called
"an'dtn" collectively.
314 See 5:103.
315 At the time of slaughter. Rather, they are dedi-
cated to others among their "deities."
316 i.e., false assertions that such practices are part
of God's religion.
317 i.e., their milk and offspring.
318 Of what is lawful and unlawful according to
their whims.
145. Say, "I do not find within that which
was revealed to me [anything] forbidden
to one who would eat it unless it be a
dead animal or blood spilled out or the
flesh of swine - for indeed, it is impure -
or it be [that slaughtered in] disobe-
dience, dedicated to other than God. 321
319 In eating, as well as in all things generally.
320 As the disbelievers have done in making their
own rulings about what is permissible and what is
prohibited.
321 Refer to 2:173 and 5:3.
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But whoever is forced [by necessity],
neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its
limit], then indeed, your Lord is Forgiv-
ing and Merciful."
146. And to those who are Jews We prohi-
bited every animal of uncloven hoof;
and of the cattle and the sheep We pro-
hibited to them their fat, except what
adheres to their backs or the entrails or
what is joined with bone. [By] that We
repaid them for their injustice. And in-
deed, We are truthful.
147. So if they deny you, [O Muhammad],
say, "Your Lord is the possessor of vast
mercy; but His punishment cannot be
repelled from the people who are crim-
inals."
148. Those who associated with God will
say, "If God had willed, we would not
have associated [anything] and neither
would our fathers, nor would we have
prohibited anything." Likewise did
those before deny until they tasted Our
punishment. Say, "Do you have any
knowledge that you can produce for us?
You follow not except assumption, and
you are not but falsifying."
149. Say, "With God is the far-reaching [i.e.,
conclusive] argument. If He had willed,
He would have guided you all."
150. Say, [O Muhammad], "Bring forward
your witnesses who will testify that God
has prohibited this." And if they testify,
do not testify with them. And do not
follow the desires of those who deny
Our verses and those who do not be-
lieve in the Hereafter, while they equate
[others] with their Lord.
151. Say, "Come, I will recite what your
Lord has prohibited to you. [He com-
mands] that you not associate anything
with Him, and to parents, good treat-
ment, and do not kill your children out
of poverty; We will provide for you and
them. And do not approach immorali-
ties - what is apparent of them and what
is concealed. And do not kill the soul
which God has forbidden [to be killed]
except by [legal] right. This has He in-
structed you that you may use reason."
152. And do not approach the orphan's
property except in a way that is best
[i.e., intending improvement] until he
reaches maturity. And give full measure
and weight in justice. We do not charge
any soul except [with that within] its ca-
pacity. And when you speak [i.e., testi-
fy], be just, even if [it concerns] a near
relative. And the covenant of God ful-
fill. This has He instructed you that you
may remember.
153. And, [moreover], this is My path, which
is straight, so follow it; and do not fol-
low [other] ways, for you will be sepa-
rated from His way. This has He in-
structed you that you may become righ-
teous.
154. Then 322 We gave Moses the Scripture,
making complete [Our favor] upon the
one who did good [i.e., Moses] and as a
detailed explanation of all things and as
guidance and mercy that perhaps in [the
matter of] the meeting with their Lord
they would believe.
155. And this [Qur'an] is a Book We have
revealed [which is] blessed, so follow it
and fear God that you may receive mer-
cy.
156. [We revealed it] lest you say, "The
Scripture was only sent down to two
322 Meaning "additionally" or "moreover," not
denoting time sequence.
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groups before us, but we were of their
study unaware,"
157. Or lest you say, "If only the Scripture
had been revealed to us, we would have
been better guided than they." So there
has [now] come to you a clear evidence
from your Lord and a guidance and
mercy. Then who is more unjust than
one who denies the verses of God and
turns away from them? We will recom-
pense those who turn away from Our
verses with the worst of punishment for
their having turned away.
158. Do they [then] wait for anything except
that the angels should come to them or
your Lord should come or that there
come some of the signs 323 of your
Lord? The Day that some of the signs
of your Lord will come no soul will
benefit from its faith as long as it had
not believed before or had earned
through its faith some good. Say, "Wait.
Indeed, we [also] are waiting."
159. Indeed, those who have divided their
religion and become sects - you, [O
Muhammad], are not [associated] with
them in anything. Their affair is only
[left] to God; then He will inform them
about what they used to do.
160. Whoever comes [on the Day of Judge-
ment] with a good deed will have ten
times the like thereof [to his credit], and
whoever comes with an evil deed will
not be recompensed except the like the-
reof; and they will not be wronged. 324
161. Say, "Indeed, my Lord has guided me
to a straight path - a correct religion -
the way of Abraham, inclining toward
truth. And he was not among those
who associated others with God."
162. Say, "Indeed, my prayer, my rites of
sacrifice, my living and my dying are for
God, Lord of the worlds.
163. No partner has He. And this I have
been commanded, and I am the first
[among you] of the Muslims." 325
164. Say, "Is it other than God I should de-
sire as a lord while He is the Lord of all
things? And every soul earns not
[blame] except against itself, and no
bearer of burdens will bear the burden
of another. Then to your Lord is your
return, and He will inform you concern-
ing that over which you used to differ."
165. And it is He who has made you succes-
sors upon the earth and has raised some
of you above others in degrees [of rank]
that He may try you through what He
has given you. Indeed, your Lord is
swift in penalty; but indeed, He is For-
giving and Merciful.
323 Those denoting the approach of the Last
Hour.
324 i.e., treated unjustly.
325 i.e., those who submit to the will of God.
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Surah 7: al-A'raf
Period of Revelation
A study of its contents clearly shows that the period of its revelation is about the same as that of al-An'am,
i.e. the last year of the Prophet's life at Makkah, but it cannot be asserted with certainty which of these two
were sent down earlier. Anyhow the manner of its admonition clearly indicates that it belongs to the same
period.
Subject: Invitation to the Divine Message
The principal subject of this Surah is "invitation to the Divine Message sent down to Muhammad" which is
implied in a warning. This is because the Messenger had spent a long time in admonishing the people of
Makkah without any tangible effect on them. Nay, they had turned a deaf ear to his message and become so
obdurate and antagonistic that in accordance with the Divine Design, the Messenger was going to be com-
manded to leave them and turn to other people. That is why they are being admonished to accept the Mes-
sage but at the same time they are being warned in strong terms of the consequences that followed the
wrong attitude of the former people towards their Messengers. Now that the Prophet was going to migrate
from Makkah the concluding portion of the address has been directed towards the people of the Book with
whom he was going to come into contact. This meant that the time of migration was coming near and the
"invitation" was going to be extended to mankind in general and was not to be confined to his own people
in particular as before. During the course of the address to the Jews the consequences of their hypocritical
conduct towards Prophethood have also been pointed out clearly for they professed to believe in Prophet
Moses but in practice opposed his teachings, disobeyed him and worshipped falsehood and consequently
were afflicted with humiliation and disgrace.
At the end of the Surah some instructions have been given to the Prophet and his followers for carrying out
the work of the propagation of Islam with wisdom. The most important of these is that they should show
patience and exercise restraint in answer to the provocations of their opponents. Above all they have been
advised that under stress of the excitement of feeling they should not take any wrong step that might harm
their cause.
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7: The Elevations
Surah 7: al-A'raf 326
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1 . Alif, Lam, Meem, Sad. 327
2. [This is] a Book revealed to you, [O
Muhammad] - so let there not be in
your breast distress therefrom - that
you may warn thereby and as a remind-
er to the believers.
3. Follow, [O mankind], what has been
revealed to you from your Lord and do
not follow other than Him any allies.
Litde do you remember.
4. And how many cities have We de-
stroyed, and Our punishment came to
them at night or while they were sleep-
ing at noon.
5. And their declaration when Our pu-
nishment came to them was only that
they said, "Indeed, we were wrong-
doers!"
6. Then We will surely question those to
whom [a message] was sent, and We
will surely question the messengers.
7. Then We will surely relate [their deeds]
to them with knowledge, and We were
not [at all] absent.
8. And the weighing [of deeds] that Day
will be the truth. So those whose scales
are heavy - it is they who will be the
successful.
9. And those whose scales are light - they
are the ones who will lose themselves
for what injustice they were doing to-
ward Our verses.
10. And We have certainly established you
upon the earth and made for you there-
in ways of livelihood. Litde are you
grateful.
1 1 . And We have certainly created you, [O
mankind] , and given you [human] form.
Then We said to the angels, "Prostrate
to Adam"; so they prostrated, except
for Iblees. 328 He was not of those who
prostrated.
12. [God] said, "What prevented you from
prostrating when I commanded you?"
[Satan] said, "I am better than him. You
created me from fire and created him
from clay [i.e., earth]."
13. [God] said, "Descend from it [i.e., Pa-
radise], for it is not for you to be arro-
gant therein. So get out; indeed, you are
of the debased."
14. [Satan] said, "Reprieve me until the
Day they are resurrected."
15. [God] said, "Indeed, you are of those
reprieved."
16. [Satan] said, "Because You have put me
in error, I will surely sit in wait for
them [i.e., mankind] on Your straight
path.
17. Then I will come to them from before
them and from behind them and on
their right and on their left, and You
will not find most of them grateful [to
You]."
18. [God] said, "Get out of it [i.e., Para-
dise], reproached and expelled. Whoev-
326 Al-A'raf. The Elevations, referring to the parti-
tion between Paradise and Hell.
327 See footnote to 2:1.
328 Satan. See footnote to 2:34.
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7: The Elevations
er follows you among them - I will
surely fill Hell with you, all together."
19. And "O Adam, dwell, you and your
wife, in Paradise and eat from wherever
you will but do not approach this tree,
lest you be among the wrongdoers."
20. But Satan whispered to them to make
apparent to them that which was con-
cealed from them of their private parts.
He said, "Your Lord did not forbid you
this tree except that you become angels
or become of the immortal."
21. And he swore [by God] to them, "In-
deed, I am to you from among the sin-
cere advisors."
22. So he made them fall, through decep-
tion. And when they tasted of the tree,
their private parts became apparent to
them, and they began to fasten together
over themselves from the leaves of Pa-
radise. And their Lord called to them,
"Did I not forbid you from that tree
and tell you that Satan is to you a clear
enemy?"
23. They said, "Our Lord, we have
wronged ourselves, and if You do not
forgive us and have mercy upon us, we
will surely be among the losers."
24. [God] said, "Descend, being to one
another enemies. And for you on the
earth is a place of settlement and en-
joyment [i.e., provision] for a time."
25. He said, "Therein you will live, and
therein you will die, and from it you
will be brought forth."
26. O children of Adam, We have bes-
towed upon you clothing to conceal
your private parts and as adornment.
But the clothing of righteousness - that
is best. That is from the signs of God
that perhaps they will remember.
27. O children of Adam, let not Satan
tempt you as he removed your parents
from Paradise, stripping them of their
clothing 329 to show them their private
parts. Indeed, he sees you, he and his
tribe, from where you do not see them.
Indeed, We have made the devils allies
to those who do not believe.
28. And when they commit an immorality,
they say, "We found our fathers doing
it, and God has ordered us to do it."
Say, "Indeed, God does not order im-
morality. Do you say about God that
which you do not know?"
29. Say, [O Muhammad], "My Lord has
ordered justice and that you maintain
yourselves [in worship of Him] at every
place [or time] of prostration, and in-
voke Him, sincere to Him in religion."
Just as He originated you, you will re-
turn [to life] -
30. A group [of you] He guided, and a
group deserved [to be in] error. Indeed,
they [i.e., the latter] had taken the devils
as allies instead of God while they
thought that they were guided.
31. O children of Adam, take your adorn-
ment [i.e., wear your clothing] at every
masjid, 330 and eat and drink, but be not
excessive. Indeed, He likes not those
who commit excess.
32. Say, "Who has forbidden the adorn-
ment of [i.e., from] God which He has
produced for His servants and the good
[lawful] things of provision?" Say,
329 The garments of Paradise.
330 Literally, "place of prostration," meaning any
place that a Muslim prays upon the earth. The
term may also refer specifically to a mosque.
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7: The Elevations
"They are for those who believe during
the worldly life [but] exclusively for
them on the Day of Resurrection."
Thus do We detail the verses for a
people who know.
33. Say, "My Lord has only forbidden im-
moralities - what is apparent of them
and what is concealed - and sin, 331 and
oppression without right, and that you
associate with God that for which He
has not sent down authority, and that
you say about God that which you do
not know."
34. And for every nation is a [specified]
term. So when their time has come,
they will not remain behind an hour,
nor will they precede [it] .
35. O children of Adam, if there come to
you messengers from among you relat-
ing to you My verses [i.e., scriptures
and laws], then whoever fears God and
reforms - there will be no fear concern-
ing them, nor will they grieve.
36. But the ones who deny Our verses and
are arrogant toward them - those are
the companions of the Fire; they will
abide therein eternally.
37. And who is more unjust than one who
invents about God a lie or denies His
verses? Those will attain their portion
of the decree 332 until, when Our mes-
sengers [i.e., angels] come to them to
take them in death, they will say,
"Where are those you used to invoke
besides God?" They will say, "They
have departed from us," and will bear
witness against themselves that they
were disbelievers.
331 Any unlawful deed.
332 What is decreed for them.
38. [God] will say, "Enter among nations
which had passed on before you of jinn
and mankind into the Fire." Every time
a nation enters, it will curse its sister 333
until, when they have all overtaken one
another therein, the last of them 334 will
say about the first of them, 335 "Our
Lord, these had misled us, so give them
a double punishment of the Fire." He
will say, "For each is double, but you
do not know."
39. And the first of them will say to the last
of them, "Then you had not any favor
over us, so taste the punishment for
what you used to earn."
40. Indeed, those who deny Our verses and
are arrogant toward them - the gates of
Heaven will not be opened for them,
nor will they enter Paradise until a ca-
mel enters into the eye of a needle [i.e.,
never]. And thus do We recompense
the criminals.
41. They will have from Hell a bed and
over them coverings [of fire] . And thus
do We recompense the wrongdoers.
42. But those who believed and did righ-
teous deeds - We charge no soul except
[within] its capacity. Those are the
companions of Paradise; they will abide
therein eternally.
43. And We will have removed whatever is
within their breasts of resentment, 336
[while] flowing beneath them are rivers.
And they will say, "Praise to God, who
has guided us to this; and we would
never have been guided if God had not
guided us. Certainly the messengers of
333 The nation proceeding it.
334 The followers of evil leaders.
335 Their leaders.
336 i.e., ill will or sense of injury for what was in-
flicted upon them during worldly life.
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7: The Elevations
our Lord had come with the truth."
And they will be called, "This is Para-
dise, which you have been made to in-
herit for what you used to do."
44. And the companions of Paradise will
call out to the companions of the Fire,
"We have already found what our Lord
promised us to be true. Have you
found what your Lord promised to be
true?" They will say, "Yes." Then an
announcer will announce among them,
"The curse of God shall be upon the
wrongdoers
45. Who averted [people] from the way of
God and sought to make it [seem] de-
viant while they were, concerning the
Hereafter, disbelievers."
46. And between them will be a partition
[i.e., wall], and on [its] elevations are
men 337 who recognize all 338 by their
mark. And they call out to the compa-
nions of Paradise, "Peace be upon
you." They have not [yet] entered it,
but they long intensely.
47. And when their eyes are turned toward
the companions of the Fire, they say,
"Our Lord, do not place us with the
wrongdoing people."
48. And the companions of the Elevations
will call to men [within Hell] whom
they recognize by their mark, saying,
"Of no avail to you was your gather-
ing 339 and [the fact] that you were arro-
gant."
337 Those whose scales are balanced between
good and evil deeds.
338 Both the inhabitants of Paradise and those of
Hell.
339 i.e., great numbers or gathering of wealth.
49. [God will say], "Are these 340 the ones
whom you [inhabitants of Hell] swore
that God would never offer them mer-
cy? Enter Paradise, [O People of the
Elevations]. No fear will there be con-
cerning you, nor will you grieve."
50. And the companions of the Fire will
call to the companions of Paradise,
"Pour upon us some water or from
whatever God has provided you." They
will say, "Indeed, God has forbidden
them both to the disbelievers
51. Who took their religion as distraction
and amusement and whom the worldly
life deluded." So today We will forget
them just as they forgot the meeting of
this Day of theirs and for having re-
jected Our verses.
52. And We had certainly brought them a
Book which We detailed by knowledge
- as guidance and mercy to a people
who believe.
53. Do they await except its result? 341 The
Day its result comes those who had ig-
nored it before will say, "The messen-
gers of our Lord had come with the
truth, so are there [now] any interces-
sors to intercede for us or could we be
sent back to do other than what we
used to do?" They will have lost them-
selves, and lost from them is what they
used to invent.
54. Indeed, your Lord is God, who created
the heavens and earth in six days and
then established Himself above the
Throne. 342 He covers the night with the
340 The humble believers who are now in Para-
dise. Another interpretation regards them as the
people on the elevated partition.
341 The fulfilment of what is promised in the
Qur'an.
342 See footnote to 2:19.
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7: The Elevations
day, [another night] chasing it rapidly; 61.
and [He created] the sun, the moon,
and the stars, subjected by His com-
mand. Unquestionably, His is the crea-
tion and the command; blessed is God, 62.
Lord of the worlds.
55. Call upon your Lord in humility and
privately; indeed, He does not like 63.
transgressors. 343
56. And cause not corruption upon the
earth after its reformation. And invoke
Him in fear and aspiration. Indeed, the
mercy of God is near to the doers of 64.
good.
57. And it is He who sends the winds as
good tidings before His mercy [i.e.,
rainfall] until, when they have carried
heavy rain clouds, We drive them to a 65.
dead land and We send down rain
therein and bring forth thereby [some]
of all the fruits. Thus will We bring
forth the dead; perhaps you may be
reminded. 66.
58. And the good land - its vegetation
emerges by permission of its Lord; but
that which is bad - nothing emerges ex-
cept sparsely, with difficulty. Thus do 67.
We diversify the signs for a people who
are grateful.
59. We had certainly sent Noah to his 68.
people, and he said, "O my people,
worship God; you have no deity other
than Him. Indeed, I fear for you the
punishment of a tremendous Day." 69.
60. Said the eminent among his people,
"Indeed, we see you in clear error."
[Noah] said, "O my people, there is not
error in me, but I am a messenger from
the Lord of the worlds.
I convey to you the messages of my
Lord and advise you; and I know from
God what you do not know.
Then do you wonder that there has
come to you a reminder from your
Lord through a man from among you,
that he may warn you and that you may
fear God so you might receive mercy?"
But they denied him, so We saved him
and those who were with him in the
ship. And We drowned those who de-
nied Our signs. Indeed, they were a
blind people. 344
And to the Aad [We sent] their brother
Hud. He said, "O my people, worship
God; you have no deity other than
Him. Then will you not fear Him?"
Said the eminent ones who disbelieved
among his people, "Indeed, we see you
in foolishness, and indeed, we think
you are of the liars."
[Hud] said, "O my people, there is not
foolishness in me, but I am a messen-
ger from the Lord of the worlds.
I convey to you the messages of my
Lord, and I am to you a trustworthy
adviser.
Then
do you
come to you
wonder that there has
a reminder from your
Lord through a man from among you,
that he may warn you? And remember
when He made you successors after the
people of Noah and increased you in
343 In supplication or otherwise.
344 For a more detailed account, see 11:25-48.
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7: The Elevations
stature extensively. So remember the
favors of God that you might succeed."
70. They said, "Have you come to us that
we should worship God alone and
leave what our fathers have wor-
shipped? Then bring us what you
promise us, 345 if you should be of the
truthful."
71. [Hud] said, "Already have defilement
and anger fallen upon you from your
Lord. Do you dispute with me concern-
ing [mere] names you have named
them, 346 you and your fathers, for
which God has not sent down any au-
thority? Then wait; indeed, I am with
you among those who wait."
72. So We saved him and those with him
by mercy from Us. And We eliminated
those who denied Our signs, and they
were not [at all] believers.
73. And to the Thamud [We sent] their
brother Salih. He said, "O my people,
worship God; you have no deity other
than Him. There has come to you clear
evidence from your Lord. This is the
she-camel of God [sent] to you as a
sign. So leave her to eat within God's
land and do not touch her with harm,
lest there sei2e you a painful punish-
ment.
74. And remember when He made you
successors after the Aad and settled
you in the land, [and] you take for
yourselves palaces from its plains and
carve from the mountains, homes.
Then remember the favors of God and
do not commit abuse on the earth,
spreading corruption."
343 i.e., God's punishment.
346 The false objects of worship which you have
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
82.
83.
Said the eminent ones who were arro-
gant among his people to those who
were oppressed - to those who believed
among them, "Do you [actually] know
that Salih is sent from his Lord?" They
said, "Indeed we, in that with which he
was sent, are believers."
Said those who were arrogant, "Indeed
we, in that which you have believed, are
disbelievers."
So they hamstrung the she-camel and
were insolent toward the command of
their Lord and said, "O Salih, bring us
what you promise us, if you should be
of the messengers."
So the earthquake sei2ed them, and
they became within their home
[corpses] fallen prone.
And he [i.e., Salih] turned away from
them and said, "O my people, I had
certainly conveyed to you the message
of my Lord and advised you, but you
do not like advisors."
And [We had sent] Lot when he said to
his people, "Do you commit such im-
morality as no one has preceded you
with from among the worlds? [i.e.,
peoples]?
Indeed, you approach men with desire,
instead of women. Rather, you are a
transgressing people."
But the answer of his people was only
that they said, "Evict them from your
city! Indeed, they are men who keep
themselves pure."
So We saved him and his family, except
for his wife; she was of those who re-
mained [with the evildoers] .
called "gods."
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84. And We rained upon them a rain [of
stones]. Then see how was the end of
the criminals.
85. And to [the people of] Madyan [We
sent] their brother Shu'ayb. He said, "O
my people, worship God; you have no
deity other than Him. There has come
to you clear evidence from your Lord.
So fulfill the measure and weight and
do not deprive people of their due and
cause not corruption upon the earth af-
ter its reformation. That is better for
you, if you should be believers.
86. And do not sit on every path, threaten-
ing and averting from the way of God
those who believe in Him, seeking to
make it [seem] deviant. And remember
when you were few and He increased
you. And see how was the end of the
corrupters.
87. And if there should be a group among
you who has believed in that with
which I have been sent and a group
that has not believed, then be patient
until God judges between us. And He
is the best of judges."
88. Said the eminent ones who were arro-
gant among his people, "We will surely
evict you, O Shu'ayb, and those who
have believed with you from our city,
or you must return to our religion." He
said, "Even if we were unwilling?
89. We would have invented against God a
lie if we returned to your religion after
God had saved us from it. And it is not
for us to return to it except that God,
our Lord, should will. Our Lord has
encompassed all things in knowledge.
Upon God we have relied. Our Lord,
decide between us and our people in
truth, and You are the best of those
who give decision."
90. Said the eminent ones who disbelieved
among his people, "If you should fol-
low Shu'ayb, indeed, you would then be
losers."
91. So the earthquake seized them, and
they became within their home
[corpses] fallen prone.
92. Those who denied Shu'ayb - it was as
though they had never resided there.
Those who denied Shu'ayb - it was they
who were the losers.
93. And he [i.e., Shu'ayb] turned away from
them and said, "O my people, I had
certainly conveyed to you the messages
of my Lord and advised you, so how
could I grieve for a disbelieving
people?"
94. And We sent to no city a prophet [who
was denied] except that We seized its
people with poverty and hardship that
they might humble themselves [to
God].
95. Then We exchanged in place of the bad
[condition], good, until they increased
[and prospered] and said, "Our fathers
[also] were touched with hardship and
ease." 347 So We seized them suddenly
while they did not perceive. 348
96. And if only the people of the cities had
believed and feared God, We would
have opened [i.e., bestowed] upon them
blessings from the heaven and the
earth; but they denied [the messengers],
so We seized them for what they were
earning. 349
347 Instead of being grateful to God for His bless-
ings, they merely attributed them to the changing
fortunes of time.
348 That they had been tried and tested.
349 Of blame for their sin.
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97. Then did the people of the cities feel
secure from Our punishment coming
to them at night while they were asleep?
98. Or did the people of the cities feel se-
cure from Our punishment coming to
them in the morning while they were at
play? 350
99. Then, did they feel secure from the
plan of God? But no one feels secure
from the plan of God except the losing
people.
100. Has it not become clear to those who
inherited the earth after its [previous]
people that if We willed, We could af-
flict them for their sins? But We seal
over their hearts so they do not hear. 351
101. Those cities - We relate to you, [O Mu-
hammad], some of their news. And cer-
tainly did their messengers come to
them with clear proofs, but they were
not to believe in that which they had
denied before. 352 Thus does God seal
over the hearts of the disbelievers.
104. And Moses said, "O Pharaoh, I am a
messenger from the Lord of the worlds
105. [Who is] obligated not to say about
God except the truth. I have come to
you with clear evidence from your
Lord, so send with me the Children of
Israel." 355
1 06. [Pharaoh] said, "If you have come with
a sign, then bring it forth, if you should
be of the truthful."
107. So he [i.e., Moses] threw his staff, and
suddenly it was a serpent, manifest. 356
108. And he drew out his hand; thereupon it
was white [with radiance] for the ob-
servers.
109. Said the eminent among the people of
Pharaoh, "Indeed, this is a learned ma-
gician
110. Who wants to expel you from your
land [through magic], so what do you
instruct?"
102. And We did not find for most of them
any covenant; 353 but indeed, We found
most of them defiantly disobedient.
103. Then We sent after them Moses with
Our signs to Pharaoh and his estab-
lishment, but they were unjust toward
them. 354 So see how was the end of the
corrupters.
350 i.e., occupied with such activities that have no
benefit.
351 They do not benefit from what they hear.
352 i.e., they persistently denied every warning
given to them.
353 i.e., they were found to be unfaithful and neg-
ligent of God's covenant.
354 i.e., they rejected and opposed the signs.
111. They said, 357 "Postpone [the matter of]
him and his brother and send among
the cities gatherers
112. Who will bring you every learned magi-
cian."
113. And the magicians came to Pharaoh.
They said, "Indeed for us is a reward if
we are the predominant."
114. He said, "Yes, and, [moreover], you will
be among those made near [to me]."
355 i.e., free them from oppression and allow them
to emigrate.
3,6 i.e., genuine and not imagined, as a miracle
from God.
357 After mutual consultation and agreement.
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115. They said, "O Moses, either you throw
[your staff], or we will be the ones to
throw [first]."
116. He said, "Throw," and when they
threw, they bewitched the eyes of the
people and struck terror into them, and
they presented a great [feat of] magic. 358
117. And We inspired to Moses, "Throw
your staff," and at once it devoured
what they were falsifying.
118 So the truth was established, and ab-
olished was what they were doing.
119. And they [i.e., Pharaoh and his people]
were overcome right there and became
debased.
120. And the magicians fell down in prostra-
tion [to God].
121. They said, "We have believed in the
Lord of the worlds,
122. The Lord of Moses and Aaron."
123. Said Pharaoh, "You believed in him 359
before I gave you permission. Indeed,
this is a conspiracy which you con-
spired in the city to expel therefrom its
people. But you are going to know.
124. I will surely cut off your hands and
your feet on opposite sides; then I will
surely crucify you all."
125. They said, "Indeed, to our Lord we will
return.
126. And you do not resent us except be-
cause we believed in the signs of our
Lord when they came to us. Our Lord,
pour upon us patience 360 and let us die
as Muslims [in submission to You]."
127. And the eminent among the people of
Pharaoh said, "Will you leave Moses
and his people to cause corruption in
the land and abandon you and your
gods?" [Pharaoh] said, "We will kill
their sons and keep their women alive;
and indeed, we are subjugators over
them."
128. Said Moses to his people, "Seek help
through God and be patient. Indeed,
the earth belongs to God. He causes to
inherit it whom He wills of His ser-
vants. And the [best] outcome is for the
righteous."
129. They said, "We have been harmed be-
fore you came to us and after you have
come to us." He said, "Perhaps your
Lord will destroy your enemy and grant
you succession in the land and see how
you will do."
130. And We certainly seized 361 the people
of Pharaoh with years of famine and a
deficiency in fruits that perhaps they
would be reminded.
131. But when good [i.e., provision] came to
them, they said, "This is ours [by
right]." And if a bad [condition] struck
them, they saw an evil omen in Moses
and those with him. Unquestionably,
their fortune is with God, but most of
them do not know.
132. And they said, "No matter what sign
you bring us with which to bewitch us,
we will not be believers in you."
358 Their staffs and ropes appeared as withering
snakes.
359 i.e., in Moses, avoiding the mention of God.
360 To endure the torture to which we will be
subjected.
361 Imposed on them by way of trial and warning.
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7: The Elevations
133. So We sent upon them the flood and
locusts and lice and frogs and blood as
distinct signs, but they were arrogant
and were a criminal people.
134. And when the punishment descended
upon them, they said, "O Moses, in-
voke for us your Lord by what He has
promised you. If you [can] remove the
punishment from us, we will surely be-
lieve you, and we will send with you the
Children of Israel."
135. But when We removed the punishment
from them until a term which they were
to reach, 362 then at once they broke
their word.
136. So We took retribution from them, and
We drowned them in the sea because
they denied Our signs and were heed-
less of them.
137. And We caused the people who had
been oppressed to inherit the eastern
regions of the land and the western
ones, which We had blessed. And the
good word [i.e., decree] of your Lord
was fulfilled for the Children of Israel
because of what they had patiently en-
dured. And We destroyed [all] that Pha-
raoh and his people were producing
and what they had been building.
138. And We took the Children of Israel
across the sea; then they came upon a
people intent in devotion to [some]
idols of theirs. They [the Children of
Israel] said, "O Moses, make for us a
god just as they have gods." He said,
"Indeed, you are a people behaving ig-
norantly.
362 i.e., a specified term which would end with
their reversion to disobedience and disbelief.
139. Indeed, those [worshippers] - destroyed
is that in which they are [engaged], and
worthless is whatever they were doing."
140. He said, "Is it other than God I should
desire for you as a god 363 while He has
preferred you over the worlds?"
141. And [recall, O Children of Israel], when
We saved you from the people of Pha-
raoh, [who were] afflicting you with the
worst torment - killing your sons and
keeping your women alive. And in that
was a great trial from your Lord.
142. And We made an appointment with
Moses for thirty nights and perfected
them by [the addition of] ten; so the
term of his Lord was completed as for-
ty nights. And Moses said to his broth-
er Aaron, "Take my place among my
people, do right [by them], 364 and do
not follow the way of the corrupters."
143. And when Moses arrived at Our ap-
pointed time and his Lord spoke to
him, he said, "My Lord, show me
[Yourself] that I may look at You."
[God] said, "You will not see Me, 365 but
look at the mountain; if it should re-
main in place, then you will see Me."
But when his Lord appeared to the
mountain, He rendered it level, 366 and
Moses fell unconscious. And when he
awoke, he said, "Exalted are You! I
have repented to You, and I am the
first of the believers."
144. [God] said, "O Moses, I have chosen
you over the people with My messages
and My words [to you]. So take what I
have given you and be among the
grateful."
363 An object of worship.
364 i.e., keep their affairs in order.
365 During the life of this world.
366 j t crumbled to dust.
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7: The Elevations
145. And We wrote for him on the tablets
[something] of all things - instruction
and explanation for all things, [saying],
"Take them with determination and
order your people to take the best of it.
I will show you the home of the de-
fiantly disobedient." 367
146. I will turn away from My signs those
who are arrogant upon the earth with-
out right; and if they should see every
sign, they will not believe in it. And if
they see the way of consciousness, 368
they will not adopt it as a way; but if
they see the way of error, they will
adopt it as a way. That is because they
have denied Our signs and they were
heedless of them.
147. Those who denied Our signs and the
meeting of the Hereafter - their deeds
have become worthless. Are they re-
compensed except for what they used
to do?
148. And the people of Moses made, after
[his departure], from their ornaments a
calf - an image having a lowing sound.
Did they not see that it could neither
speak to them nor guide them to a way?
They took it [for worship], and they
were wrongdoers.
149. And when regret overcame them 369 and
they saw that they had gone astray, they
said, "If our Lord does not have mercy
upon us and forgive us, we will surely
be among the losers."
150. And when Moses returned to his
people, angry and grieved, he said,
367 This is a severe warning from God against
rebellion.
368 i.e., reason and integrity.
369 Literally, "When their hands had been des-
cended upon," i.e., bitten by them out of severe
regret.
"How wretched is that by which you
have replaced me after [my departure].
Were you impatient over the matter of
your Lord?" And he threw down the
tablets and sei2ed his brother by [the
hair of] his head, pulling him toward
him. [Aaron] said, "O son of my moth-
er, indeed the people oppressed me and
were about to kill me, so let not the
enemies rejoice over me 370 and do not
place me among the wrongdoing
people."
151. [Moses] said, "My Lord, forgive me and
my brother and admit us into Your
mercy, for You are the most merciful
of the merciful."
152. Indeed, those who took the calf [for
worship] will obtain anger from their
Lord and humiliation in the life of this
world, and thus do We recompense the
inventors [of falsehood].
153. But those who committed misdeeds
and then repented after them and be-
lieved - indeed your Lord, thereafter, is
Forgiving and Merciful.
1 54. And when the anger subsided in Moses,
he took up the tablets; and in their in-
scription was guidance and mercy for
those who are fearful of their Lord.
155. And Moses chose from his people se-
venty men for Our appointment. 371
And when the earthquake seized
them, 372 he said, "My Lord, if You had
willed, You could have destroyed them
before and me [as well]. Would You
370 i.e., over your humiliation of me.
371 Whereupon they were to apologize to God for
having worshipped the calf.
372 Upon reaching the appointed place, they said
to Moses, "We will not believe until we see God
outright." So the mountain convulsed, killing
them.
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7: The Elevations
destroy us for what the foolish among
us have done? This is not but Your trial
by which You send astray whom You
will and guide whom You will. You are
our Protector, so forgive us and have
mercy upon us; and You are the best of
forgivers.
156. And decree for us in this world [that
which is] good and [also] in the Hereaf-
ter; indeed, we have turned back to
You." [God] said, "My punishment - I
afflict with it whom I will, but My mer-
cy encompasses all things." So I will
decree it [especially] for those who fear
Me and give 2akah and those who be-
lieve in Our verses -
157. Those who follow the Messenger, the
unlettered prophet, whom they find
written [i.e., mentioned] in what they
have of the Torah and the Gospel, who
enjoins upon them what is right and
forbids them what is wrong and makes
lawful for them the good things and
prohibits for them the evil and relieves
them of their burden 373 and the
shackles which were upon them. 374 So
they who have believed in him, ho-
noured him, supported him and fol-
lowed the light which was sent down
with him - it is those who will be the
successful.
158. Say, [O Muhammad], "O mankind,
indeed I am the Messenger of God to
you all, [from Him] to whom belongs
the dominion of the heavens and the
earth. There is no deity except Him; He
gives life and causes death." So believe
in God and His Messenger, the unlet-
tered prophet, who believes in God and
His words, and follow him that you
may be guided.
159. And among the people of Moses is a
community 375 which guides by truth
and by it establishes justice.
160. And We divided them into twelve des-
cendant tribes 376 [as distinct] nations.
And We inspired to Moses when his
people implored him for water, "Strike
with your staff the stone," and there
gushed forth from it twelve springs.
Every people [i.e., tribe] knew its water-
ing place. And We shaded them with
clouds and sent down upon them man-
na and quails, [saying], "Eat from the
good things with which We have pro-
vided you." And they wronged Us not,
but they were [only] wronging them-
selves.
161. And [mention, O Muhammad], when it
was said to them, "Dwell in this city
[i.e., Jerusalem] and eat from it wherev-
er you will and say, 'Relieve us of our
burdens [i.e., sins],' and enter the gate
bowing humbly; We will [then] forgive
you your sins. We will increase the
doers of good [in goodness and re-
ward]."
162. But those who wronged among them
changed [the words] to a statement
other than that which had been said to
them. So We sent upon them a pu-
nishment from the sky for the wrong
that they were doing.
1 63. And ask them about the town that was
by the sea - when they transgressed in
[the matter of] the sabbath - when their
fish came to them openly on their sab-
373 Difficulties in religious practice.
374 i.e., extreme measure previously required for
repentance, and retribution, without recourse to
compensation.
375 Those of them who accepted and followed the
final prophet, Muhammad.
376 p rom the twelve sons of Jacob.
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7: The Elevations
bath day, and the day they had no sab-
bath they did not come to them. Thus
did We give them trial because they
were defiantiy disobedient.
164. And when a community among them
said, "Why do you advise [or warn] a
people whom God is [about] to destroy
or to punish with a severe punish-
ment?" they [the advisors] said, "To be
absolved before your Lord and perhaps
they may fear Him."
165. And when they [i.e., those advised] for-
got that by which they had been re-
minded, We saved those who had for-
bidden evil and sei2ed those who
wronged, with a wretched punishment,
because they were defiandy disobeying.
166. So when they were insolent about that
which they had been forbidden, We
said to them, "Be apes, despised."
167. And [mention] when your Lord de-
clared that He would surely [continue
to] send upon them until the Day of
Resurrection those who would afflict
them with the worst torment. Indeed,
your Lord is swift in penalty; but in-
deed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.
168. And We divided them throughout the
earth into nations. Of them some were
righteous, and of them some were oth-
erwise. And We tested them with good
[times] and bad that perhaps they
would return [to obedience].
169. And there followed them successors
who inherited the Scripture [while] tak-
ing the commodities 377 of this lower life
and saying, "It will be forgiven for us."
And if an offer like it 378 comes to them.
they will [again] take it. Was not the co-
venant of the Scripture [i.e., the Torah]
taken from them that they would not
say about God except the truth, and
they studied what was in it? And the
home of the Hereafter is better for
those who fear God, so will you not
use reason?
170. But those who hold fast to the Book
[i.e., the Qur'an] and establish prayer -
indeed, We will not allow to be lost the
reward of the reformers.
171. And [mention] when We raised the
mountain above them as if it was a dark
cloud and they were certain that it
would fall upon them, 379 [and God
said], "Take what We have given you
with determination and remember what
is in it that you might fear God."
172. And [mention] when your Lord took
from the children of Adam - from their
loins - their descendants and made
them testify of themselves, [saying to
them], "Am I not your Lord?" They
said, "Yes, we have testified." [This] -
lest you should say on the day of Re-
surrection, "Indeed, we were of this
unaware."
173. Or Pest] you say, "It was only that our
fathers associated [others in worship]
with God before, and we were but des-
cendants after them. Then would You
destroy us for what the falsifiers have
done?"
174. And thus do We [explain in] detail the
verses, and perhaps they will return. 380
377 i.e., unlawful gains and pleasures.
378 i.e., a similar temptation.
379 For their rebellion and disobedience.
380 ^ tne wa y f G oc J 5 from their diversions and
deviations.
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7: The Elevations
175. And recite to them, [O Muhammad],
the news of him 381 to whom We gave
[knowledge of] Our signs, but he de-
tached himself from them; so Satan
pursued him, and he became of the de-
viators. 382
176. And if We had willed, We could have
elevated him thereby, 383 but he adhered
[instead] to the earth 384 and followed
his own desire. So his example is like
that of the dog: if you chase him, he
pants, or if you leave him, he [still]
pants. That is the example of the
people who denied Our signs. 385 So re-
late the stories that perhaps they will
give thought.
177. How evil an example [is that of] the
people who denied Our signs and used
to wrong themselves.
178. Whoever God guides - he is the
[rightly] guided; and whoever He sends
astray 386 - it is those who are the losers.
179. And We have certainly created for Hell
many of the jinn and mankind. They
have hearts with which they do not un-
derstand, they have eyes with which
they do not see, and they have ears with
which they do not hear. Those are like
381 A man from the Children of Israel at the time
of Moses.
382 Those who deliberately persist in error to the
point of destruction.
383 i.e., through the revelations, signs or evidences
of which he had been given knowledge.
384 i.e., its worldly pleasures.
385 Whether or not they have been exposed to
God's signs or warnings, it is all the same: they
will not believe.
386 As a result of persistence in evil and rejection
of truth.
livestock; rather, they are more as-
tray. 387 It is they who are the heedless.
1 80. And to God belong the best names, so
invoke Him by them. And leave [the
company of] those who practice devia-
tion concerning His names. 388 They will
be recompensed for what they have
been doing.
181. And among those We created is a
community 389 which guides by truth
and thereby establishes justice.
182. But those who deny Our signs - We
will progressively lead them [to destruc-
tion] 390 from where they do not know.
183. And I will give them time. Indeed, my
plan is firm.
1 84. Then do they not give thought? There
is in their companion [i.e., Muhammad]
no madness. He is not but a clear
warner.
185. Do they not look into the realm of the
heavens and the earth and everything
that God has created and [think] that
perhaps their appointed time has come
near? So in what statement [i.e., mes-
sage] hereafter will they believe?
1 86. Whoever God sends astray - there is no
guide for him. And He leaves them in
their transgression, wandering blindly.
187. They ask you, [O Muhammad], about
the Hour: when is its arrival? 391 Say,
387 The reference is to their inability (i.e., refusal)
to think and reason, while blindly following (as
they are accustomed).
388 i.e., use them improperly or deny them.
389 Thg followers of Prophet Muhammad.
390 God will test them with one favour after
another in spite of their disobedience, which only
increases them in arrogance and sin.
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"Its knowledge is only with my Lord.
None will reveal its time except Him. It
lays heavily 392 upon the heavens and the
earth. It will not come upon you except
unexpectedly." They ask you as if you
are familiar with it. Say, "Its knowledge
is only with God, but most of the
people do not know."
188. Say, "I hold not for myself [the power
of] benefit or harm, except what God
has willed. And if I knew the unseen, I
could have acquired much wealth, and
no harm would have touched me. I am
not except a warner and a bringer of
good tidings to a people who believe."
189. It is He who created you from one soul
and created from it its mate that he 393
might dwell in security with her. And
when he [i.e., man] covers her, 394 she
carries a light burden [i.e., a pregnancy]
and continues therein. And when it be-
comes heavy, they both invoke God,
their Lord, "If You should give us a
good 395 [child], we will surely be among
the grateful."
190. But when He gives them a good [child],
they 396 ascribe partners to Him con-
cerning that which He has given them.
Exalted is God above what they asso-
ciate with Him.
191. Do they associate with Him those who
create nothing and they are [them-
selves! created?
391 Literally, "resting" or "establishment."
392 i.e., it is a source of concern, worry or fear.
393 i.e., man or every descendent of Adam.
394 An allusion to sexual intercourse.
395 Physically sound or righteous.
396 The ungrateful man and woman or the po-
lytheistic man and woman.
192. And they [i.e., the false deities] are una-
ble to [give] them help, nor can they
help themselves.
193. And if you [believers] invite them to
guidance, they will not follow you. It is
all the same for you whether you invite
them or you are silent.
194. Indeed, those you [polytheists] call
upon besides God are servants [i.e.,
creations] like you. So call upon them
and let them respond to you, if you
should be truthful.
195. Do they have feet by which they walk?
Or do they have hands by which they
strike? Or do they have eyes by which
they see? Or do they have ears by
which they hear? Say, [O Muhammad],
"Call your 'partners' and then conspire
against me and give me no respite.
196. Indeed, my protector is God, who has
sent down the Book; and He is an ally
to the righteous.
197. And those you call upon besides Him
are unable to help you, nor can they
help themselves."
198. And if you invite them to guidance,
they do not hear; and you see them
looking at you while they do not see.
199. Take what is given freely, 397 enjoin
what is good, and turn away from the
ignorant.
200. And if an evil suggestion comes to you
from Satan, then seek refuge in God.
Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing.
397 From the disposition of men or from their
wealth. In other words, be easy in dealing with
them and avoid causing them difficulty.
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201. Indeed, those who fear God - when an
impulse touches them from Satan, they
remember [Him] and at once they have
insight.
202. But their brothers 398 - they [i.e., the
devils] increase them in error; then they
do not stop short.
203. And when you, [O Muhammad], do
not bring them a sign [i.e., miracle],
they say, "Why have you not contrived
it?" Say, "I only follow what is revealed
to me from my Lord. This [Qur'an] is
enlightenment from your Lord and
guidance and mercy for a people who
believe."
204. So when the Qur'an is recited, then
listen to it and pay attention that you
may receive mercy.
205. And remember your Lord within your-
self in humility and in fear without be-
ing apparent in speech - in the morn-
ings and the evenings. And do not be
among the heedless.
206. Indeed, those who are near your Lord
[i.e., the angels] are not prevented by
arrogance from His worship, and they
exalt Him, and to Him they prostrate.
398 Those among mankind who listen to the devils
and obey their orders.
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Surah 8: al-Anfal
The Period of Revelation
It was revealed in 2 A.H. after the Battle of Badr, the first battle between Islam and Kufr (disbelief). As it
contains a detailed and comprehensive review of the Battle it appears that most probably it was revealed all at
once at the same time. But it is also possible that some of the verses concerning the problems arising as a
result of this Battle might have been revealed later and incorporated at the proper places to make it a conti-
nuous whole.
Historical Background
Before reviewing the Surah it is worthwhile to consider the events that led to the Battle of Badr. During the
first decade or so of the Prophethood at Makkah the Message had proved its firmness and stability. This was
the result of two things. First the Messenger who possessed the highest qualities of character was performing
his Mission with wisdom foresight and magnanimity. He had shown by his conduct that he had made up his
mind to carry the movement to a successful end and therefore was ready to face all sorts of dangers and ob-
stacles in the way. Secondly the Message was so charming that it attracted the minds and hearts of the people
irresistibly towards itself. So much so that all obstacles of ignorance superstition and petty prejudices failed
to check its advance. That is why the Arab upholders of the ways of 'ignorance' who looked down upon it in
its initial stages had begun to reckon it as a serious menace during the last period of the stay of the Prophet
at Makkah and were bent on crushing it with all the force at their command. But in spite of the above-
mentioned strength the movement still lacked certain things to lead it to victory.
First, it had not yet been fully proved that it had gathered round it a sufficient number of such followers who
not only believed in its truth but also had such an intense devotion to its principles that they were ready to
expend all their energies and all that they possessed in the struggle for its success and establishment. So
much so that they were ready to sacrifice their lives in the fight against the whole world itself even though
they should be their own nearest relative. It is true that the followers of Islam had endured the severest per-
secutions at the hands of the Quraysh of Makkah and had given a good proof of the firmness of their faith
and their strong relation with Islam yet further trials were required to show that Islam had succeeded in ac-
quiring such a band of followers which considered nothing dearer than its ideal and was ready to sacrifice life
for it.
Secondly though the voice of Islam had reached every part of the country its effects were yet scattered and
its acquired strength was spread here and there: it had not yet gathered sufficient force essential for a decisive
conflict with the old established order of 'ignorance'.
Thirdly Islam had yet no home of its own and had not established itself firmly anywhere in the land where it
could consolidate its power and make it a base for further action. For the Muslims were scattered all over the
country and were living among the unbelievers as aliens whom their bloodthirsty enemies wanted to uproot
from their own homes.
Fourthly, the Muslims had not yet had an opportunity to demonstrate practically the blessings of the system
of life based on Islam. There was neither any Islamic culture, nor any social, economic or political system;
nor were there any established principles of war and peace for their guidance. Therefore the Muslims had no
opportunity for demonstrating those moral principles on which they intended to build their entire system of
life; nor had it been proved on the touchstone of trial that the Muslims as a community were sincere in the
proclamation of the Message. God created opportunities for making up these deficiencies. During the last
four years of the Prophet's stay at Makkah, the voice of Islam had been proving effective at Yathrib (Madi-
nah) and the people for various reasons had been accepting the message more readily than other clans of
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Arabia. So much so that in the twelfth year of Prophethood on the occasion of Hajj a deputation of 75
people met the Prophet in the darkness of night. These people not only accepted Islam, but also offered to
give him and his followers a home. As this was a most epoch making opportunity provided by God, the
Prophet took advantage of it. The significance of this offer was quite clear to the people of Yathrib, and they
fully realized that this was not an invitation to a mere fugitive, but to the Messenger of God so that he
should become their leader and ruler. Likewise they knew that they were not inviting the Muslim refugees to
give them shelter from persecution but to assemble them from all over the country for their integration with
themselves to form an organized community. Thus the offer of the people of Yathrib was to make Yathrib
the "City of Islam." Accordingly the Prophet accepted their invitation and made it the first "City of Islam" in
Arabia. And the people of Yathrib were fully aware of the implications of this offer. It was indeed a declara-
tion of war against the whole of Arabia, and an invitation to their own social and economic boycott as well.
And when the Ansar from Yathrib declared their allegiance to the Prophet at Aqabah, they knew fully well its
consequences. During the course of the formal declaration of allegiance, Asad bin Zurarah, the youngest of
all the delegates from Yathrib, stood up and said, "O people of Yathrib! Just listen to me and consider the matter care-
fully in all its aspects. Though we have come to him, regarding him only as a Messenger of God, we should know that we shall be
inviting the enmity of the whole of Arabia. For when we take him away to Yathrib, we shall be attacked and our children may
be put to the sword. Therefore if you have the courage in your hearts to face it, then and then only, you should declare your alle-
giance to him and God will give you its reward. But if you love your lives more than him and his Message, then leave this matter
and frankly excuse yourselves, for at this time God may accept your excuses."
Abbas bin Ubadah bin Naalah, another member of the delegation, reiterated the same thing, saying, Do you
understand the implication of the declaration of your allegiance to this person?^ (Voices, "Yes, we know it.") "You are chal-
lenging the whole world to war by your declaration of allegiance to him. There is every likelihood of a serious menace to your lives
and properties. Therefore consider it well. If you have any idea lurking in your minds that you will then hand him over to his
enemies, it is much better to leave him alone now, because that conduct shall bring shame and disgrace to you in this world and
the next. On the other hand, if you have sincerely resolved that you will endure all kinds of consequences that will follow as a
result of this invitation, then it would be the best thing to take the oath of allegiance to him because, by God, this will surely
bring good to you in this world as well as in the next world" At this all the members of the delegation cried with one
voice, "We are ready and prepared to risk all our wealth and our noble kith and kin for his sake. " It was then that the
famous oath of allegiance, which is known as the "Second Oath of Allegiance at Aqabah" was taken.
On the other side, the people of Makkah also understood fully well the implications of this matter from their
own point of view. They realized that Muhammad, who they knew well, had a great personality and pos-
sessed extraordinary abilities, was going to gain a strong footing, by this allegiance. For this would help inte-
grate his followers, whose constancy, determination, and unwavering faithfulness to the Messenger had been
tried, into a disciplined community under his wise leadership and guidance. And they knew that this would
spell death for their old ways of life. They also realized the strategic importance of Madinah to their trade,
which was their chief means of livelihood. Its geographical position was such that the Muslims could strike
with advantage at the caravans traveling on the trade route between Yemen and Syria, and thus strike at the
root of their economy and that of other pagan clans very effectively. The value of the trade done by the
people of Makkah alone on this route, not to count that of ta'if and other places, amounted to about two
hundred thousand dinars annually. As the Quraysh were fully aware of the implications of the oath of alle-
giance at Aqabah, they were greatly agitated when they got wind of it the same night. At first they tried to
win over the people of Madinah to their side. But when they saw that the Muslims were migrating to Madi-
nah in small groups, they realized that the Prophet was also going to emigrate soon from there. Then they
decided to adopt an extreme measure to prevent this danger. A few days before his migration, the Quraysh
held a council to consider the matter. After a good deal of argument; they decided that one person should be
taken from each of the families of Quraysh other than that of Banu Hashim to put an end to the life of the
Prophet. This was to make it difficult for the family of the Prophet to fight alone with all the other families
of the Quraysh and thus to force them to accept blood-money for his murder instead of taking revenge from
them, but by the grace of God their plot against the life of the Prophet failed because of his admirable fore-
sight and full trust in God, and he reached Madinah safe and sound. When they could not prevent his emi-
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gration, it occurred to them to exploit Abdullah bin Ubay who had begun to cherish a grievance against the
Prophet since his arrival at Madinah. He was an influential chief of Madinah and the people had agreed to
make him their king. But when the majority of Aws and Khazraj clan became Muslims and acknowledged the
Prophet as their leader, guide and ruler, all his hopes of becoming a king came to an end. Therefore the Qu-
raysh wrote to him, "As you have given shelter to our enemy, we tell you plainly that you should either fight with him yourself
or exile him from your city otherwise we swear by God that we will invade your city, kill your males and make your females our
slave girls" This letter added fuel to the flames of his jealousy and he was inclined to do some mischief, but
the Prophet took timely precautions and defeated his evil designs. The Quraysh got another opportunity to
hold out a threat. When Sa'ad bin Mu'adh, another chief of Madinah, went to Makkah to perform Umrah,
Abu Jahl interrupted him at the very door of the Ka'bah, saying, "Do you think we will let you perform Umrah in
peace when you give shelter and help to renegades from us? Had you not been a guest of Ummayyah bin Khalfyou would not
have gone alive from here. " Sa'ad replied, "By God, if you prevent me from this, I will retaliate in a worse manner and block
your route near Madinah. " This incident virtually led to a declaration from the people of Makkah that they
would prevent the Muslims from a pilgrimage to the Ka'bah, and from the people of Madinah that as a retal-
iation they would block their trade route to Syria against the opponents of Islam. As a matter of fact there
was no other alternative for the Muslims than to keep a strong hold on this route so as to force the Quraysh,
and the other clans, whose interests were vitally bound with this route, to reconsider their hostile and anta-
gonistic attitude towards them. That is why the Prophet attached the greatest importance to this problem. As
soon as he was free from making the preliminary arrangements for organizing the newly formed Muslim
Community and settling peace terms with the neighboring Jewish tribes, he adopted two measures in this
connection.
First, he entered into negotiations with those clans who lived between the Red Sea and this route so as to
make alliances with them or at east to persuade them to make treaties of neutrality with the Muslims. He was
successful in this, and he entered into a treaty of non-alignment with Juhainah, which was a very important
clan of the hilly tract near the sea coast. Then, at the end of the first year of Hijrah, he made a treaty of de-
fensive alliance with Bani Damrah. In 2 A.H. Bani Mudlij also joined the alliance, as they were the neigh-
bours and allies of Bani Damrah. Then it so happened that quite a large number of these people were re-
verted to Islam as a result of the missionary work done by the Muslims.
Secondly, he successively sent small bands of his men on this route to serve as a warning to the Quraysh, and
himself accompanied some of them. In the first year of Hijrah, four expeditions were sent there, that is, the
expedition under Hamza, the expedition under Ubaidah bin Harith, the expedition under Sa'ad bin Abi
Waqqas and the Al-Abwa expedition under the Prophet himself. In the first month of the second year two
more incursions were made on the same route. These are known as Buwat Expedition and Zawal Ushairah
Expedition. Two things about all these expeditions are noteworthy. First, no blood was shed and no caravans
were plundered in any of these expeditions. This proves that the real object of these expeditions was to show
to the Quraysh which way the wind was blowing. Secondly, not a single man from the people of Madinah
was sent by the Prophet on any of these incursions. All the bands consisted purely of the immigrants from
Makkah so that the conflict should remain between the people of the Quraysh themselves and should not
further spread by the involvement of other clans. On the other side, the Quraysh of Makkah tried to involve
others also in the conflict. When they sent bands towards Madinah, they did not hesitate to plunder the
people. For instance, an expedition under the leadership of Kurz bin Jabir al-Fihrl plundered the cattle of the
people of Madinah from the very vicinity of the city to show what their real intentions were.
This was the state of affairs when, in Sha'aban, 2 A.H. (February or March, 623 A.D.) a big trade caravan of
the Quraysh, carrying goods worth about £50,000, with only a guard of thirty to forty men, on its way back
from Syria to Makkah, reached the territory from where it could be easily attacked from Madinah. As the
caravan was earning trade goods worth thousands of pounds, and was scantily guarded, naturally Abu Su-
fyan, who was in charge of it, from his past experience feared an attack from the Muslims. Accordingly, as
soon as he entered the dangerous territory, he despatched a camel rider to Makkah with a frantic appeal for
help. When the rider reached Makkah, he, following an old custom of Arabia, tore open the ears of his ca-
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mel, cut open his nose and overturned the saddle. He began to cry aloud at the top of his voice, "O people of
Quraysh despatch help to protect your caravan from Syria under the charge of Abu Sufyan, for Muhammad with his followers is
in pursuit of it; otherwise I don't thinkyou will ever get your goods. Run, run for help. " This caused great excitement and
anger in the whole of Makkah and all the big chiefs of the Quraysh got ready for war. An army, consisting of
600 armoured soldiers and cavalry of 100 riders with great pomp and show marched out for a fight. They
intended not only to rescue the caravan but also to put to an end, once for all, the new menace from the
Muslims who had consolidated themselves at Madinah. They wanted to crush that rising power and overawe
the clans surrounding the route so as to make it absolutely secure for future trade. Now the Prophet, who
always kept himself well informed of the state of affairs, felt that the decisive hour has come and that was the
right time when he must take a bold step; otherwise the Islamic Movement would become lifeless for ever
and no chance would be left for it to rise again. For if the Quraysh invaded Madinah, the odds would be
against the Muslims. The condition of the Muslim Community was still very shaky because the Muhajirin
(immigrants) had not been able to stabilize their economy during the short period (less than two years) of
their stay at Madinah; their helpers, the Ansar had not yet been tried; and the neighbouring Jewish clans were
antagonistic. Then there was a strong group of hypocrites and polytheists in Madinah itself; above all, the
surrounding clans lived in awe of the Quraysh and had all their religious sympathies with them. The Prophet,
therefore, felt that the consequences of this possible invasion would not be favorable to the Muslims. The
second possibility was that they would not invade Madinah but try only to escort their caravan safely and
securely by a mere show of force. In that case, too, if the Muslims remained inactive, it would affect their
reputation adversely. Obviously, this weak stand in the conflict would embolden the other Arabs also and
make the position of the Muslims very insecure in the country and the surrounding clans would, at the in-
stance of the Quraysh, start hostilities against them. And the Jews, the hypocrites and the polytheists of Ma-
dinah would openly rise against them and not only endanger their security of life, property and honour but
make it difficult for them even to live there. The Muslims would not be able to inspire the enemy with awe
so as to keep safe from them their life, property and honour. A careful study of the situation led the Prophet
to make up his mind to take a decisive step and go into the battle with whatever little strength he could mus-
ter, for thus and thus only could he show whether the Muslim Community had the right to survive or was
doomed to perish.
When he arrived at this momentous decision, he called the Muhajirin and the Ansar together and placed the
whole position before them, without any reservation. He said, "God has promised that you will confront one of the
two, the trade caravan coming from the north or the army of the Quraysh marchingfrom the south. Now tell me which of the two
you want to attack!" A large majority of the people replied that they wanted to attack the caravan. But the
Prophet who had something else before him, repeated the same question. At this Miqdad bin Amr, a Muha-
jir, stood up and said, "O Messenger of God! Please march to the side to which your 'Lord commands you; we will accompany
you wherever you go. We will not say like the Israelites, 'Go and let you and your Tord fight we will wait'. In contrast to them
we say, "Let you and your Lord fight; we will fight by your side to our last breath '. " Even then he did not announce any
decision but waited for a reply from the Ansar who had not yet taken any part in any battle of Islam. As this
was the first opportunity for them to prove that they were ready to fulfill their promise of fighting for the
cause of Islam, he repeated the question without directly addressing them. At this, Sa'ad bin Mu'adh, an
Ansar, stood up and said, ". . . it appears that you are putting the question to us. " When the Prophet said, "Yes, " the
Ansar replied, "We have believed in you and confirmed that what you have brought is the Truth, and have made a solemn
pledge with you that we will listen to you and obey you. Therefore, O Messenger of God, do whatever you intend to do. We swear
by God Who has sent you with the Truth that we are ready to accompany you to the sea shore and if you enter it, we will plunge
into it. We assure you that not a single one of us will remain behind or forsake you, for we will not hesitate at all to go to fight,
even if you should lead us to the battlefield tomorrow. We will remain steadfast in the battle and sacrifice our lives in the fight.
We do hope that by the grace of God our behavior will gladden your heart. So, trusting in God's blessing, take us to the battle-
field. " After these speeches it was decided that they should march towards the army of the Quraysh and not
towards the trade caravan. But it should be noted that the decision was of an ordinary nature. For the num-
ber of people, who came forward to go to the battlefield, was only a little more than three hundred (86 Mu-
hajirs, 62 from Aws and 170 from Khazraj). Then the little army was ill-armed and hardly equipped for bat-
tle. Only a couple of them had horses to ride and the others had to take their turn in threes and fours on the
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back of a camel, out of the 70 they had in all. Above all, they had not got enough weapons for the battle;
only 60 of them had armor. It is, therefore, no wonder that with the exception of those who were prepared
to sacrifice their lives for the cause of Islam, the majority of those who had joined the expedition, were so
filled with fear that they felt as if they were knowingly going into the jaws of death. Then there were people
who always looked at things from a selfish point of view. Though they had embraced Islam, they did not
realize that their faith would demand the sacrifice of their lives and properties from them; they were of the
opinion that it was a mad expedition prompted by irrational enthusiasm for religion. But the Prophet and the
true Believers had realized the urgency of that critical hour which required the risk of life: therefore they
marched straight to the south-west, wherefrom the army of the Quraysh was coming. This is a clear proof of
the fact that from the very beginning they had gone out to fight with the army and not to plunder the cara-
van. For if they had aimed at plundering the caravan they would have taken the north-westerly direction and
not the south-westerly one.
The two parties met in combat at Badr on the 17th of Ramadan. When the two armies confronted each oth-
er and the Prophet noticed that the Quraysh army outnumbered the Muslims by three to one and was much
better equipped, he raised his hands up in supplication and made this earnest prayer with great humility: "0
God! Here are the Quraysh proud of their war material: they have come to prove that Thy Messenger is false. God! now send
that succor that Thou hast promised to give me. God! If this little army of Thy servants is destroyed, then there will be left
none in the land to worship Thee. " In this combat the emigrants from Makkah were put to the hardest test for
they had to fight against their own near and dear relatives and put to the sword their fathers, their sons, their
paternal and maternal uncles and their brothers. It is obvious that only such people could have come out
successful in this hardest of tests as had accepted the Truth sincerely and cut off all relations with falsehood.
And in another way the test to which the Ansar were put was not less hard. So far they had only alienated the
powerful Quraysh and their allies by giving shelter to the Muslims against their wishes but now, for the first
time, they were going to give fight to them and to sow the seeds of a long and bitter war with them. This was
indeed a very hard test for it meant that a small town with a population of a few thousand inhabitants was
going to wage a war with the whole of Arabia. It is obvious that only such people could take this bold step
who believed in the Truth of Islam so firmly that they were ready to sacrifice every personal interest for its
sake. So God accepted the self-sacrifices of the Muhajirin and the Ansar because of their true faith, and re-
warded them with His succor. The proud, well-armed Quraysh were routed by these ill-equipped devotees of
Islam. Seventy men of their army were killed and seventy captured as prisoners and their arms and equip-
ment came into the hands of the Muslims as spoils of war. All their big chiefs, who were their best soldiers
and who had led the opposition to Islam, were killed in this Battle. No wonder that this decisive victory
made Islam a power to be reckoned with.
Topics of Discussion
The moral lesson of the conflict between the Truth and falsehood has been enunciated and the qualities
which lead to success in a conflict have been explained. The Surah gives instructions in regard to the spoils
of war. The Muslims have been told not to regard these as their right but as a bounty from God. Therefore
they should accept with gratitude the share that is granted to them out of it and willingly accede to the share
which God sets apart for His cause and for the help of the needy. Then it also gives normal instructions con-
cerning the laws of peace and war for these were urgently needed to be explained at the stage which the
Islamic Movement had entered. It enjoined that the Muslims should refrain from ways of "ignorance" in
peace and war and thus should establish their moral superiority in the world. It also meant to demonstrate to
the world in actual practical life the morality which it had been preaching to the world from the very begin-
ning of Islam and had been enjoining that practical life should be based on the same. It also states some ar-
ticles of the Islamic Constitution which help differentiate the status of the Muslims living within the limits of
Dar-ul-Islam (the Abode of Islam) from that of the Muslims living beyond its limits.
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Surah 8: al-Anfal 399
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. They ask you, [O Muhammad], about
the bounties [of war] . Say, "The [deci-
sion concerning] bounties is for God
and the Messenger." So fear God and
amend that which is between you and
obey God and His Messenger, if you
should be believers.
2. The believers are only those who, when
God is mentioned, their hearts become
fearful, and when His verses are recited
to them, it increases them in faith; and
upon their Lord they rely -
3. The ones who establish prayer, and
from what We have provided them,
they spend.
4. Those are the believers, truly. For them
are degrees [of high position] with their
Lord and forgiveness and noble provi-
sion.
5. [It 400 is] just as when your Lord brought
you out of your home [for the battle of
Badr] in truth, while indeed, a party
among the believers were unwilling,
6. Arguing with you concerning the truth
after it had become clear, as if they
were being driven toward death while
they were looking on.
7. [Remember, O believers], when God
promised you one of the two groups 401
399 Al-Anfal: The Bounties, meaning those things
acquired in addition to victory, i.e., the spoils of
war.
400 Referring to a dispute which occurred among
the Muslims over distribution of war booty.
401 i.e., either the caravan of Quraysh or their
army.
- that it would be yours - and you
wished that the unarmed one would be
yours. But God intended to establish
the truth by His words and to eliminate
the disbelievers
8. That He should establish the truth and
abolish falsehood, even if the criminals
disliked it.
9. [Remember] when you asked help of
your Lord, and He answered you, "In-
deed, I will reinforce you with a thou-
sand from the angels, following one
another."
10. And God made it not but good tidings
and so that your hearts would be as-
sured thereby. And victory is not but
from God. Indeed, God is Exalted in
Might and Wise.
11. [Remember] when He overwhelmed
you with drowsiness [giving] security
from Him and sent down upon you
from the sky, rain by which to purify
you and remove from you the evil [sug-
gestions] of Satan and to make steadfast
your hearts and plant firmly thereby
your feet.
12. [Remember] when your Lord inspired
to the angels, "I am with you, so streng-
then those who have believed. I will
cast terror into the hearts of those who
disbelieved, so strike [them] upon the
necks and strike from them every fin-
gertip." 402
13. That is because they opposed God and
His Messenger. And whoever opposes
God and His Messenger - indeed, God
is severe in penalty.
402 By which they grasp and manipulate their
weapons. Also interpreted as "all extremities,"
i.e., their hands and feet.
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14. "That [is yours], so taste it." And in-
deed for the disbelievers is the punish-
ment of the Fire.
15. O you who have believed, when you
meet those who disbelieve advancing
[for battle], do not turn to them your
backs [in flight],
1 6. And whoever turns his back to them on
such a day, unless swerving [as a strate-
gy] for war or joining [another] compa-
ny, has certainly returned with anger
[upon him] from God, and his refuge is
Hell - and wretched is the destination.
17. And you did not kill them, but it was
God who killed them. 403 And you threw
not, [O Muhammad], when you threw,
but it was God who threw 404 that He
might test the believers with a good
test. 405 Indeed, God is Hearing and
Knowing.
18. That [is so], and [also] that God will
weaken the plot of the disbelievers.
19. If you [disbelievers] seek the decision
[i.e., victory] - the decision [i.e., defeat]
has come to you. And if you desist
[from hostilities], it is best for you; but
if you return [to war], We will return,
and never will you be availed by your
[large] company at all, even if it should
increase; and [that is] because God is
with the believers.
403 i.e., Your strength was insufficient to over-
come them, but God supported you and gave you
victory.
404 When the Prophet threw a handful of dust
into the faces of the disbelievers, God caused it
to fill the eyes and nose of every soldier, prevent-
ing their advance.
405 So that they would appreciate God's favour to
them.
20. O you who have believed, obey God
and His Messenger and do not turn
from him while you hear [his order],
21. And do not be like those who say, "We
have heard," while they do not hear.
22. Indeed, the worst of living creatures in
the sight of God are the deaf and dumb
who do not use reason [i.e., the disbe-
lievers] .
23. Had God known any good in them, He
would have made them hear. And if He
had made them hear, they would [still]
have turned away, while they were re-
fusing.
24. O you who have believed, respond to
God and to the Messenger when he
calls you to that which gives you life.
And know that God intervenes be-
tween a man and his heart and that to
Him you will be gathered.
25. And fear a trial 406 which will not strike
those who have wronged among you
exclusively, and know that God is se-
vere in penalty.
26. And remember when you were few and
oppressed in the land, fearing that
people might abduct you, but He shel-
tered you, supported you with His vic-
tory, and provided you with good
things - that you might be grateful.
27. O you who have believed, do not be-
tray God and the Messenger or betray
your trusts while you know [the conse-
quence] .
406 i.e., an affliction or punishment during life
upon this earth. When corruption spreads among
a people, its consequences will affect everyone.
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28. And know that your properties and
your children are but a trial and that
God has with Him a great reward.
29. O you who have believed, if you fear
God, He will grant you a criterion 407
and will remove from you your mis-
deeds and forgive you. And God is the
possessor of great bounty.
30. And [remember, O Muhammad], when
those who disbelieved plotted against
you to restrain you or kill you or evict
you [from Makkah], But they plan, and
God plans. And God is the best of
planners.
31. And when Our verses are recited to
them, they say, "We have heard. If we
willed, we could say [something] like
this. This is not but legends of the for-
mer peoples."
32. And [remember] when they said, "O
God, if this should be the truth from
You, then rain down upon us stones
from the sky or bring us a painful pu-
nishment."
33. But God would not punish them while
you, [O Muhammad], are among them,
and God would not punish them while
they seek forgiveness.
34. But why should God not punish them
while they obstruct [people] from al-
Masjid al-Haram and they were not [fit
to be] its guardians? Its [true] guardians
are not but the righteous, but most of
them do not know.
35. And their prayer at the House [i.e., the
Ka'bah] was not except whisding and
407 By which to judge between truth and false-
hood. Also interpreted as a "way out" of difficul-
ties.
handclapping. So taste the punishment
for what you disbelieved [i.e., practiced
of deviations] .
36. Indeed, those who disbelieve spend
their wealth to avert [people] from the
way of God. So they will spend it; then
it will be for them a [source of] regret;
then they will be overcome. And those
who have disbelieved - unto Hell they
will be gathered.
37. [This is] so that God may distinguish
the wicked from the good and place the
wicked some of them upon others and
heap them all together and put them in-
to Hell. It is those who are the losers.
38. Say to those who have disbelieved
[that] if they cease, what has previously
occurred will be forgiven for them. But
if they return [to hostility] - then the
precedent of the former [rebellious]
peoples has already taken place. 408
39. And fight them until there is no fit-
nah 409 and [until] the religion [i.e., wor-
ship], all of it, is for God. 410 And if they
cease - then indeed, God is Seeing of
what they do.
40. But if they turn away - then know that
God is your protector. Excellent is the
protector, and Excellent is the helper.
41. And know that anything you obtain of
war booty - then indeed, for God is one
fifth of it and for the Messenger 411 and
for [his] near relatives 412 and the or-
408 This is a warning that punishment is always
the result of rebellion against God and His mes-
sengers.
409 Persecution. See footnote to 2:193.
410 i.e., until polytheism is no longer dominant.
411 To be sent in God's cause.
412 The tribes of Banu Hashim and Banu Mutta-
lib, who were not eligible for %akdh.
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phans, the needy, and the [stranded]
traveler, 413 if you have believed in God
and in that which We sent down to Our
Servant 414 on the day of criterion [i.e.,
decisive encounter] - the day when the
two armies met [at Badr], And God,
over all things, is competent.
42. [Remember] when you were on the
near side of the valley, and they were
on the farther side, and the caravan was
lower [in position] than you. If you had
made an appointment [to meet], you
would have missed the appointment.
But [it was] so that God might accom-
plish a matter already destined - that
those who perished [through disbelief]
would perish upon evidence and those
who lived [in faith] would live upon
evidence; and indeed, God is Hearing
and Knowing.
43. [Remember, O Muhammad], when
God showed them to you in your
dream as few; and if He had shown
them to you as many, you [believers]
would have lost courage and would
have disputed in the matter [of whether
to fight], but God saved [you from
that]. Indeed, He is Knowing of that
within the breasts.
44. And [remember] when He showed
them to you, when you met, as few in
your eyes, and He made you [appear] as
few in their eyes so that God might ac-
complish a matter already destined.
And to God are [all] matters returned.
45. O you who have believed, when you
encounter a company [from the enemy
forces], stand firm and remember God
much that you may be successful.
413 The remaining four fifths are divided among
the soldiers.
414 Prophet Muhammad.
46. And obey God and His Messenger, and
do not dispute and [thus] lose courage
and [then] your strength would depart;
and be patient. Indeed, God is with the
patient.
47. And do not be like those who came
forth from their homes insolendy and
to be seen by people and avert [them]
from the way of God. And God is en-
compassing 415 of what they do.
48. And [remember] when Satan made
their deeds pleasing to them and said,
"No one can overcome you today from
among the people, and indeed, I am
your protector." But when the two ar-
mies sighted each other, he turned on
his heels and said, "Indeed, I am disas-
sociated from you. Indeed, I see what
you do not see; indeed I fear God. And
God is severe in penalty."
49. [Remember] when the hypocrites and
those in whose hearts was disease [i.e.,
arrogance and disbelief] said, "Their re-
ligion has deluded those [Muslims]."
But whoever relies upon God - then
indeed, God is Exalted in Might and
Wise.
50. And if you could but see when the an-
gels take the souls of those who disbe-
lieved... 416 They are striking their faces
and their backs and [saying], "Taste the
punishment of the Burning Fire.
51. That is for what your hands have put
forth [of evil] and because God is not
ever unjust to His servants."
415 In knowledge. See footnote to 2:19.
416 This sentence is left incomplete for additional
effect. Its conclusion is left to the imagination of
the reader or listener and estimated as "... you
would see a dreadful sight."
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52. [Theirs is] like the custom of the people
of Pharaoh and of those before them.
They disbelieved in the signs of God,
so God sei2ed them for their sins. In-
deed, God is Powerful and severe in
penalty.
53. That is because God would not change
a favor which He had bestowed upon a
people until they change what is within
themselves. And indeed, God is Hear-
ing and Knowing.
54. [Theirs is] like the custom of the people
of Pharaoh and of those before them.
They denied the signs of their Lord, so
We destroyed them for their sins, and
We drowned the people of Pharaoh.
And all [of them] were wrongdoers.
55. Indeed, the worst of living creatures in
the sight of God are those who have
disbelieved, and they will not [ever] be-
lieve -
56. The ones with whom you made a treaty
but then they break their pledge every
time, and they do not fear God.
57. So if you, [O Muhammad], gain domin-
ance over them in war, disperse by
[means of] them those behind them
that perhaps they will be reminded. 417
58. If you [have reason to] fear from a
people betrayal, throw [their treaty]
back to them, [putting you] on equal
terms. 418 Indeed, God does not like
traitors.
417 i.e., kill them and make an example of them to
discourage those who follow them.
4,8 When you see signs of treachery from those
with whom you have made a treaty, announce to
them its dissolution so they will know exactly
where they stand.
59. And let not those who disbelieve think
they will escape. Indeed, they will not
cause failure [to God] .
60. And prepare against them whatever you
are able of power and of steeds of
war 419 by which you may terrify the
enemy of God and your enemy and
others besides them whom you do not
know [but] whom God knows. And
whatever you spend in the cause of
God will be fully repaid to you, and you
will not be wronged.
61. And if they incline to peace, then in-
cline to it [also] and rely upon God. In-
deed, it is He who is the Hearing, the
Knowing.
62. But if they intend to deceive you - then
sufficient for you is God. It is He who
supported you with His help and with
the believers
63. And brought together their hearts. If
you had spent all that is in the earth,
you could not have brought their hearts
together; but God brought them to-
gether. Indeed, He is Exalted in Might
and Wise.
64. O Prophet, sufficient for you is God
and for whoever follows you of the be-
lievers.
65. O Prophet, urge the believers to batde.
If there are among you twenty [who
are] steadfast, they will overcome two
hundred. And if there are among you
one hundred [who are] steadfast, they
will overcome a thousand of those who
have disbelieved because they are a
people who do not understand.
419 Or equipment which serves the same purpose.
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66. Now, God has lightened [the hardship]
for you, and He knows that among you
is weakness. So if there are from you
one hundred [who are] steadfast, they
will overcome two hundred. And if
there are among you a thousand, they
will overcome two thousand by permis-
sion of God. And God is with the
steadfast.
67. It is not for a prophet to have captives
[of war] until he inflicts a massacre
[upon God's enemies] in the land. You
[i.e., some Muslims] desire the com-
modities of this world, 420 but God de-
sires [for you] the Hereafter. And God
is Exalted in Might and Wise.
68. If not for a decree from God that pre-
ceded, 421 you would have been touched
for what you took by a great punish-
ment.
69. So consume what you have taken of
war booty [as being] lawful and good,
and fear God. Indeed, God is Forgiving
and Merciful.
70. O Prophet, say to whoever is in your
hands of the captives, "If God knows
[any] good in your hearts, He will give
you [something] better than what was
taken from you, and He will forgive
you; and God is Forgiving and Merci-
ful."
72. Indeed, those who have believed and
emigrated and fought with their wealth
and lives in the cause of God and those
who gave shelter and aided - they are
allies of one another. But those who
believed and did not emigrate - for you
there is no guardianship of them until
they emigrate. And if they seek help of
you for the religion, then you must
help, except against a people between
yourselves and whom is a treaty. And
God is Seeing of what you do.
73. And those who disbelieved are allies of
one another. If you do not do so [i.e.,
ally yourselves with other believers],
there will be fitnah [i.e., disbelief and
oppression] on earth and great corrup-
tion.
74. But those who have believed and emi-
grated and fought in the cause of God
and those who gave shelter and aided -
it is they who are the believers, truly.
For them is forgiveness and noble pro-
vision.
75. And those who believed after [the initial
emigration] and emigrated and fought
with you - they are of you. But those of
[blood] relationship are more entided [to
inheritance] in the decree of God. 422
Indeed, God is Knowing of all things.
71. But if they intend to betray you - then
they have already betrayed God before,
and He empowered [you] over them.
And God is Knowing and Wise.
420 i.e., material benefit, such as the ransom paid
for prisoners.
421 Three interpretations of the "decree" are giv-
en: that by which the companions of Badr were
forgiven, that by which indeliberate errors in
judgement by believers are not punished, and that
which made lawful the spoils of war.
422 This applies to Muslim relatives only. Others
may be given by bequest. See 4:11.
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Surah 9: at-Tawbah
This is the only Surah of the Qur'an to which 'In the Name of God, Most Gracious Most Merciful' is not
prefixed. Though the commentators have given different reasons for this, the correct one that which has
been given by Imam Razi: namely this is because the Prophet himself did not dictate it at the beginning of
the Surah. Therefore the Companions did not prefix it and their successors followed them. This is a further
proof of the fact that utmost care has been taken to keep the Qur'an intact so that it should remain in its
complete and original form.
Discourses and Periods of Revelation
This Surah comprises three discourses. The first discourse (v. 1-37) was revealed in Dhul-Qa'adah 9 A.H. or
thereabout. As the importance of the subject of the discourse required its declaration on the occasion of Hajj
the Prophet dispatched Ali to follow Abu Bakr who had already left for Makkah as leader of the Pilgrims to
the Ka'bah. He instructed Ali to deliver the discourse before the representatives of the different clans of
Arabia so as to inform them of the new policy towards the polytheists.
The second discourse (v. 38-72) was sent down in Rajab 9 AH. or a little before this when the Prophet was
engaged in making preparations for the Campaign of Tabuk. In this discourse the Believers were urged to
take active part in Jihad.
The third discourse (v. 73-129) was revealed on his return from the Campaign of Tabuk. There are some
pieces in this discourse that were sent down on different occasions during the same period and were after-
wards consolidated by the Prophet into the Surah in accordance with inspiration from God. But this caused
no interruption in its continuity because they dealt with the same subject and formed part of the same series
of events. This discourse warns the hypocrites of their evil deeds and rebukes those Believers who had stayed
behind in the Campaign of Tabuk. Then after taking them to task God pardons those true Believers who had
not taken part in the Jihad in the Way of God for one reason or the other.
Historical Background
The series of events that have been discussed in this Surah took place after the Peace Treaty of Hudaibiyah.
By that time one-third of Arabia had come under the sway of Islam which had established itself as a power-
ful well organized and civilized Islamic State. There were two important events that followed - the first was
the Conquest of Arabia. The Prophet was able to send missions among different clans for the propagation of
Islam. The result was that during the short period of two years it became such a great power that it made the
old order of ignorance feel helpless before it. So much so that the zealous elements from among the Quraysh
were so exasperated that they broke the Treaty in order to encounter Islam in a decisive combat. But the
Prophet took prompt action after the breach so as not to allow them any opportunity to gather enough force
for this. He made a sudden invasion on Makkah in the month of Ramadan in 8 A.H. and conquered it.
Though this conquest broke the backbone of the order of ignorance it made still another attack on Islam in
the battlefield of Hunain which proved to be its death-knell. The clans of Hawazin, Thaqif, Naur Jushm and
others gathered their entire forces in the battlefield in order to crush the reformative Revolution but they
utterly failed in their evil designs. The defeat of 'ignorance' at Hunain paved the way for making the whole of
Arabia the Abode of Islam' (Dar-ul-Islam). The result was that hardly a year had passed after the Battle of
Hunain when the major portion of Arabia came within the fold of Islam and only a few upholders of the old
order remained scattered over some corners of the country.
The second event that contributed towards making Islam a formidable power was the Campaign of Tabuk
which was necessitated by the provocative activities of the Christians living within or near the boundaries of
the Roman Empire to the north of Arabia. Accordingly the Prophet with an army of thirty thousand
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marched boldly towards the Roman Empire but the Romans evaded the encounter. The result was that the
power of the Prophet and Islam increased manifold and deputations from all corners of Arabia began to wait
upon him on his return from Tabuk in order to offer their allegiance to Islam and obedience to him. The
Qur'an has described this triumph in Surah an-Nasr (s. 110): "When the victory of God has come and the
conquest, And you see the people entering into the religion of God in multitudes..."
Campaign to Tabuk
The Campaign to Tabuk was the result of conflict with the Roman Empire that had started even before the
conquest of Makkah. One of the missions sent after the Treaty of Hudaibiyah to different parts of Arabia
visited the clans which lived in the northern areas adjacent to Syria. The majority of these people were Chris-
tians who were under the influence of the Roman Empire. Contrary to all the principles of the commonly
accepted international law they killed fifteen members of the delegation near a place known as Zat-u-Talah.
Only Ka'ab bin Umair Ghifari, the head of the delegation, succeeded in escaping and reporting the sad inci-
dent. Besides this Shurahbil bin Amr, the Christian governor of Busra who was directly under the Roman
Caesar had also put to death Haritii bin Umair the ambassador of the Prophet who had been sent to him on
a similar mission.
These events convinced the Prophet that a strong action should be taken in order to make the territory adja-
cent to the Roman Empire safe and secure for the Muslims. Accordingly in the month of Jamadi-ul-Ula 8
A.H. he sent an army of three thousand towards the Syrian border. When this army reached near Ma'an the
Muslims learnt that Shurahbil was marching with an army of one hundred thousand to fight-with them and
that the Caesar who himself was at Hims had sent another army consisting of one hundred thousand soldiers
under his brother Theodore. But in spite of such fearful news the brave small band of the Muslims marched
on fearlessly and encountered the big army of Shurahbil at M'utah. And the result of the encounter in which
the Muslims were fighting against fearful odds (the ratio of the two armies was 1:33) as very favorable for the
enemy utterly failed to defeat them. This proved very helpful for the propagation of Islam. As a result those
Arabs who were living in a state of semi-independence in Syria and near Syria and the clans of Najd near Iraq
who were under the influence of the Persian Empire turned towards Islam and embraced it in thousands.
For example the people of Bani Sulaim (whose chief was Abbas bin Mrdas Sulaimi) Ashja'a Ghatafan Zu-
byan Fazarah etc. came into the fold of Islam at the same time. Above all Farvah bin Amral Juzami who was
the commander of the Arab armies of the Roman Empire embraced Islam during that time and underwent
the trial of his Faith in a way that filled the whole territory with wonder. When the Caesar came to know that
Farvah had embraced Islam he ordered that he should be arrested and brought to his court. Then the Caesar
said to him, 'You will have to choose one of the two things. Either give up your Islam and win your liberty
and your former rank or remain a Muslim and face death.' He calmly chose Islam and sacrificed his life in the
way of the Truth.
No wonder that such events as these made the Caesar realize the nature of the danger that was threatening
his Empire from Arabia. Accordingly in 9 A.H. he began to make military preparations to avenge the insult
he had suffered at M'utah. The Ghassanid and other Arab chiefs also began to muster armies under him.
When the Prophet who always kept himself well-informed even of the minutest things that could affect the
Islamic Movement favorably or adversely came to know of these preparations he at once understood their
meaning. Therefore without the least hesitation he decided to fight against the great power of the Caesar. He
knew that the show of the slightest weakness would result in the utter failure of the Movement which was
facing three great dangers at that time. First the dying power of 'ignorance' that had almost been crushed in
the battlefield of Hunain might revive again. Secondly the Hypocrites of Madinah who were always on the
look-out for such an opportunity might make full use of this to do the greatest possible harm to it. For they
had already made preparations for this and had through a monk called Abu Amir, sent secret messages of
their evil designs to the Christian king of Ghassan and the Caesar himself. Besides this, they had also built a
mosque near Madinah for holding secret meetings for this purpose. The third danger was of an attack by the
Caesar himself, who had already defeated Persia, the other great power of that period, and filled with awe the
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adjacent territories. It is obvious that if all these three elements had been given an opportunity of taking a
concerted action against the Muslims, Islam would have lost the fight it had almost won. That is why in this
case the Prophet made an open declaration for making preparations for the Campaign against the Roman
Empire, which was one of the two greatest empires of the world of that period. The declaration was made
though all the apparent circumstances were against such a decision: for there was famine in the country and
the long awaited crops were about to ripen: the burning heat of the scorching summer season of Arabia was
at its height and there was not enough money for preparations in general, and for equipment and conveyance
in particular. But in spite of these handicaps, when the Messenger of God realized the urgency of the occa-
sion, he took this step which was to decide whether the Mission of the Truth was going to survive or perish.
The very fact that he made an open declaration for making preparations for such a campaign to Syria against
the Roman Empire showed how important it was, for this was contrary to his previous practice. Usually he
took every precaution not to reveal beforehand the direction to which he was going nor the name of the
enemy whom he was going to attack; nay, he did not move out of Madinah even in the direction of the cam-
paign.
All the parties in Arabia fully realized the grave consequences of this critical decision. The remnants of the
lovers of the old order of 'ignorance' were anxiously waiting for the result of the Campaign, for they had
pinned all their hopes on the defeat of Islam by the Romans. The 'hypocrites' also considered it to be their
last chance of crushing the power of Islam by internal rebellion, if the Muslims suffered a defeat in Syria.
They had, therefore, made full use of the Mosque built by them for hatching plots and had employed all their
devices to render the Campaign a failure. On the other side, the true Believers also realized fully that the fate
of the Movement for which they had been exerting their utmost for the last 22 years was now hanging in the
balance. If they showed courage on that critical occasion, the doors of the whole outer world would be
thrown open for the Movement to spread. But if they showed weakness or cowardice, then all the work they
had done in Arabia would end in smoke. That is why these lovers of Islam began to make enthusiastic prepa-
rations for the Campaign. Everyone of them tried to surpass the other in making contributions for the provi-
sion of equipment for it. Uthman and Abdur Rahman bin awf presented large sums of money for this pur-
pose. Umar contributed half of the earnings of his life and Abu Bakr the entire earnings of his life. The indi-
gent Companions did not lag behind and presented whatever they could earn by the sweat of their labor and
the women parted with their ornaments. Thousands of volunteers, who were filled with the desire of sacrific-
ing their lives for Islam, came to the Prophet and requested that arrangements for weapons and conveyance
be made for them so that they should join the expedition. Those who could not be provided with these shed
tears of sorrow; the scene was so pathetic that it made the Prophet sad because of his inability to arm them.
In short, the occasion became the touchstone for discriminating a true believer from a hypocrite. For, to lag
behind in the Campaign meant that the very relationship of a person to Islam was doubtful. Accordingly,
whenever a person lagged behind during the journey to Tabuk, the Prophet, on being informed, would spon-
taneously say, "'Leave him alone. If there be any good in him, God will again join him with you, and if there be no good in
him, then thank God that He relieved you of his evil company. "
In short, the Prophet marched out towards Syria in Rajab A.H. 9, with thirty thousand fighters for the cause
of Islam. The conditions in which the expedition was undertaken may be judged from the fact that the num-
ber of camels with them was so small that many of them were obliged to walk on foot and to wait for their
turns for several had to ride at a time on each camel. To add to this, there was the burning heat of the desert
and the acute shortage of water. But they were richly rewarded for their firm resolve and sincere adherence
to the cause and for their perseverance in the face of those great difficulties and obstacles.
When they arrived at Tabuk, they learnt that the Caesar and his allies had withdrawn their troops from the
frontier and there was no enemy to fight with. Thus they won a moral victory that increased their prestige
manifold and, that too, without shedding a drop of blood. As a result of this, the boundaries of the Islamic
State were extended right up to the Roman Empire, and the majority of the Arab clans, who were being used
by the Caesar against Arabia, became the allies of the Muslims against the Romans. Above all, this moral
victory of Tabuk afforded a golden opportunity to the Muslims to strengthen their hold on Arabia before
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entering into a long conflict with the Romans. For it broke the back of those who had still been expecting
that the old order of 'ignorance' might revive in the near future, whether they were the open upholders of
shirk or the hypocrites who were hiding their shirk under the garb of Islam. The majority of such people
were compelled by the force of circumstances to enter into the fold of Islam and, at least, make it possible
for their descendants to become true Muslims. After this a mere impotent minority of the upholders of the
old order was left in the field, but it could not stand in the way of the Islamic Revolution for the perfection
of which God had sent His Messenger.
Problems of the Period
If we keep in view the preceding background we can easily find out the problems that were confronting the
Community at that time. They were: (l)to make the whole of Arabia a perfect Dar-ul-Islam (2) to extend the
influence of Islam to the adjoining countries (3) to crush the mischiefs of the hypocrites and (4) to prepare the
Muslims for Jihad against the non-Muslim world. A clear declaration was made that all the treaties with the
polytheists were abolished and the Muslims would be released from the treaty obligations with them after a
respite of four months(v. 1-3). This declaration was necessary for uprooting completely the system of life
based on Shirk (polytheism) and to make Arabia exclusively the center of Islam so that it should not in any
way interfere with the spirit of Islam nor become an internal danger for it.
A decree was issued that the guardianship of the Ka'bah, which held central position in all the affairs of Ara-
bia should be wrested from the polytheists and placed permanently in the hands of the Believers (v. 12-18)
and that all the customs and practices of the shirk of the era of 'ignorance' should be forcibly abolished: that
the polytheists should not be allowed even to come near the "House" (v. 28). This was to eradicate every
trace of Shirk from the "House" that was dedicated exclusively to the worship of God. In order to enable the
Muslims to extend the influence of Islam outside Arabia they were enjoined to crush with sword the non-
Muslim powers and to force them to accept the sovereignty of the Islamic State. As the great Roman and
Persian Empires were the biggest hindrances in the way a conflict with them was inevitable. The object of
Jihad was not to coerce them to accept Islam; they were free to accept or not to accept it, but to prevent
them from thrusting forcibly their deviations upon others and the coming generations. The Muslims were
enjoined to tolerate their misguidance only to the extent that they might have the freedom to remain mis-
guided if they chose to be so provided that they paid Jizyah(v. 29) as a sign of their subjugation to the Islamic
State. The third important problem was to crush the mischiefs of the hypocrites who had hitherto been tole-
rated in spite of their flagrant crimes. Now that there was practically no pressure upon them from outside the
Muslims were enjoined to treat them openly as disbelievers (v. 73). Accordingly the Prophet set on fire the
house of Swailim where the hypocrites used to gather for consultations in order to dissuade the people from
joining the expedition to Tabuk. Likewise on his return from Tabuk he ordered to pull down and burn the
'Mosque' that had been built to serve as a cover for the hypocrites for hatching plots against the true Believ-
ers.
In order to prepare the Muslims for Jihad against the whole non-Muslim world it was necessary to cure them
even of that slight weakness of faith from which they were still suffering. For there could be no greater in-
ternal danger to the Islamic Community than the weakness of faith especially where it was going to engage
itself single-handed in a conflict with the whole non-Muslim world. That is why those people who had lagged
behind in the Campaign to Tabuk or had shown the least negligence were severely taken to task and were
considered as hypocrites if they had no plausible excuse for not fulfilling that obligation. Moreover, a clear
declaration was made that in future the sole criterion of a Muslim's faith shall be the exertions he makes for
the uplift of the Word of God and the role he plays in the conflict between Islam and Kufr (disbelief).
Therefore, if anyone will show any hesitation in sacrificing his life, money, time and energies, his faith shall
not be regarded as genuine (v. 81-96). If the above-mentioned important points are kept in view during the
study of this Surah, it will facilitate the understanding of its contents.
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Surah 9: at-Tawbah 423
[This is a declaration of] disassociation,
from God and His Messenger, to those
with whom you had made a treaty
among the polytheists. 424
So travel freely, [O disbelievers],
throughout the land [during] four
months but know that you cannot
cause failure to God and that God will
disgrace the disbelievers.
And [it is] an announcement from God
and His Messenger to the people on the
day of the greater pilgrimage 425 that
God is disassociated from the disbe-
lievers, and [so is] His Messenger. So if
you repent, that is best for you; but if
you turn away - then know that you will
not cause failure to God. 426 And give
tidings to those who disbelieve of a
painful punishment.
Excepted are those with whom you
made a treaty among the polytheists
and then they have not been deficient
toward you in anything or supported
anyone against you; so complete for
them their treaty until their term [has
ended]. Indeed, God loves the righ-
teous [who fear Him] .
And when the sacred months 427 have
passed, then kill the polytheists whe-
rever you find them and capture them
and besiege them and sit in wait for
423 At-Tawbah. Repentance. This surah is also
known as Bara'ah, meaning disassociation, free-
dom, release or immunity. The words In the Name
of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
were not revealed at the beginning of this surah,
424 But who had violated it.
425 Hajj, 'Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage.
426 i.e., you cannot escape His punishment.
427 The four months mentioned in verse 2, i.e.,
Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qa'dah and Dhul-Hijjah.
9.
10.
11.
them at every place of ambush. But if
they should repent, establish prayer,
and give zakah, let them [go] on their
way. Indeed, God is Forgiving and
Merciful.
And if any one of the polytheists seeks
your protection, then grant him protec-
tion so that he may hear the words of
God [i.e., the Qur'an], Then deliver him
to his place of safety. That is because
they are a people who do not know.
How can there be for the polytheists a
treaty in the sight of God and with His
Messenger, except for those with
whom you made a treaty at al-Masjid al-
Haram? So as long as they are upright
toward you, 428 be upright toward them.
Indeed, God loves the righteous [who
fear Him],
How [can there be a treaty] while, if
they gain dominance over you, they do
not observe concerning you any pact of
kinship or covenant of protection?
They satisfy you with their mouths, but
their hearts refuse [compliance], and
most of them are defiantly disobedient.
They have exchanged the signs of God
for a small price and averted [people]
from His way. Indeed, it was evil that
they were doing.
They do not observe toward a believer
any pact of kinship or covenant of pro-
tection. And it is they who are the
transgressors.
But if they repent, establish prayer, and
give zakah, then they are your brothers
in religion; and We detail the verses for
a people who know.
428 i.e., maintain the terms of the treaty.
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12. And if they break their oaths after their 19.
treaty and defame your religion, then
fight the leaders of disbelief, for indeed,
there are no oaths [sacred] to them;
[fight them that] they might cease.
13. Would you not fight a people who
broke their oaths and determined to
expel the Messenger, and they had be-
gun [the attack upon] you the first 20.
time? Do you fear them? But God has
more right that you should fear Him, if
you are [truly] believers.
14. Fight them; God will punish them by
your hands and will disgrace them and 21.
give you victory over them and satisfy
the breasts [i.e., desires] of a believing
people
15. And remove the fury in their [i.e., the
believers'] hearts. And God turns in
forgiveness to whom He wills; and God
is Knowing and Wise.
22.
23.
16. Do you think that you will be left [as
you are] while God has not yet made
evident those among you who strive
[for His cause] and do not take other
than God, His Messenger and the be-
lievers as intimates? And God is Ac-
quainted with what you do. 24.
1 7. It is not for the polytheists to maintain
the mosques of God [while] witnessing
against themselves with disbelief. [For]
those, their deeds have become worth-
less, and in the Fire they will abide
eternally.
18. The mosques of God are only to be
maintained by those who believe in
God and the Last Day and establish
prayer and give 2akah and do not fear 25.
except God, for it is expected that
those will be of the [righdy] guided.
Have you made the providing of water
for the pilgrim and the maintenance of
al-Masjid al-Haram equal to [the deeds
of] one who believes in God and the
Last Day and strives in the cause of
God? They are not equal in the sight of
God. And God does not guide the
wrongdoing people.
The ones who have believed, emigrated
and striven in the cause of God with
their wealth and their lives are greater
in rank in the sight of God. And it is
those who are the attainers [of success].
Their Lord gives them good tidings of
mercy from Him and approval and of
gardens for them wherein is enduring
pleasure.
[They will be] abiding therein forever.
Indeed, God has with Him a great re-
ward.
O you who have believed, do not take
your fathers or your brothers as allies if
they have preferred disbelief over be-
lief. And whoever does so among you -
then it is those who are the wrong-
doers.
Say, [O Muhammad], "If your fathers,
your sons, your brothers, your wives,
your relatives, wealth which you have
obtained, commerce wherein you fear
decline, and dwellings with which you
are pleased are more beloved to you
than God and His Messenger and jihad
[i.e., striving] in His cause, then wait
until God executes His command. And
God does not guide the defiantly dis-
obedient people."
God has already given you victory in
many regions and [even] on the day of
Hunayn, when your great number
pleased you, but it did not avail you at
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all, and the earth was confining for you
with [i.e., in spite of] its vastness; then
you turned back, fleeing.
26. Then God sent down His tranquillity
upon His Messenger and upon the be-
lievers and sent down soldiers [i.e., an-
gels] whom you did not see and pu-
nished those who disbelieved. And that
is the recompense of the disbelievers.
27. Then God will accept repentance after
that for whom He wills; and God is
Forgiving and Merciful.
28. O you who have believed, indeed the
polytheists are unclean, so let them not
approach al-Masjid al-Haram after this,
their [final] year. And if you fear priva-
tion, God will enrich you from His
bounty if He wills. Indeed, God is
Knowing and Wise.
29. Fight those who do not believe in God
or in the Last Day and who do not
consider unlawful what God and His
Messenger have made unlawful and
who do not adopt the religion of truth
[i.e., Islam] from those who were given
the Scripture - [fight] until they give the
jizyah 429 willingly while they are hum-
bled.
30. The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of God";
and the Christians say, "The Messiah is
the son of God." That is their state-
ment from their mouths; they imitate
the saying of those who disbelieved be-
fore [them]. May God destroy them;
how are they deluded?
429 A tax required of non-Muslims exempting
them from military service and entitling them to
the protection of the Islamic state. Concurrently,
^akdh is not taken from them, being an obligation
only upon Muslims.
31. They have taken their scholars and
monks as lords besides God, 430 and [al-
so] the Messiah, the son of Mary. 431
And they were not commanded except
to worship one God; there is no deity
except Him. Exalted is He above what-
ever they associate with Him.
32. They want to extinguish the light of
God with their mouths, but God refus-
es except to perfect His light, although
the disbelievers dislike it.
33. It is He who has sent His Messenger
with guidance and the religion of truth
to manifest it over all religion, although
they who associate others with God
dislike it.
34. O you who have believed, indeed many
of the scholars and the monks devour
the wealth of people unjusdy 432 and
avert [them] from the way of God. And
those who hoard gold and silver and
spend it not in the way of God - give
them tidings of a painful punishment.
35. The Day when it 433 will be heated in the
fire of Hell and seared therewith will be
their foreheads, their flanks, and their
backs, [it will be said], "This is what
you hoarded for yourselves, so taste
what you used to hoard."
36. Indeed, the number of months with
God is twelve [lunar] months in the
register of God [from] the day He
created the heavens and the earth; of
these, four are sacred. 434 That is the
430 By their obedience to them rather than to
what God ordained.
431 By their worship of him in conjunction with
God.'
432 i.e., through false pretence.
433 The gold and silver which was hoarded, i.e.,
whose ^akdh was not paid.
434 See footnote to 9:5.
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9: Repentance
correct religion [i.e., way], so do not
wrong yourselves during them. 435 And
fight against the disbelievers collectively
as they fight against you collectively.
And know that God is with the righ-
teous [who fear Him] .
37. Indeed, the postponing [of restriction
within sacred months] is an increase in
disbelief by which those who have dis-
believed are led [further] astray. They
make it 436 lawful one year and unlawful
another year to correspond to the
number made unlawful by God 437 and
[thus] make lawful what God has made
unlawful. Made pleasing to them is the
evil of their deeds; and God does not
guide the disbelieving people.
38. O you who have believed, what is [the
matter] with you that, when you are
told to go forth in the cause of God,
you adhere heavily to the earth? 438 Are
you satisfied with the life of this world
rather than the Hereafter? But what is
the enjoyment of worldly life compared
to the Hereafter except a [very] little.
39. If you do not go forth, He will punish
you with a painful punishment and will
replace you with another people, and
you will not harm Him at all. And God
is over all things competent.
out [of Makkah] as one of two, 439 when
they were in the cave and he [i.e., Mu-
hammad] said to his companion, "Do
not grieve; indeed God is with us." And
God sent down his tranquillity upon
him and supported him with soldiers
[i.e., angels] you did not see and made
the word 440 of those who disbelieved
the lowest, 441 while the word of God 442
- that is the highest. And God is Ex-
alted in Might and Wise.
41 . Go forth, whether light or heavy, 443 and
strive with your wealth and your lives in
the cause of God. That is better for
you, if you only knew.
42. Had it been a near [i.e., easy] gain and a
moderate trip, they [i.e., the hypocrites]
would have followed you, but distant to
them was the journey. And they will
swear by God, 444 "If we were able, we
would have gone forth with you," de-
stroying themselves [through false
oaths], and God knows that indeed
they are liars.
43. May God pardon you, [O Muhammad];
why did you give them permission [to
remain behind]? [You should not have]
until it was evident to you who were
truthful and you knew [who were] the
liars.
40. If you do not aid him [i.e., the Prophet]
- God has already aided him when
those who disbelieved had driven him
44. Those who believe in God and the Last
Day would not ask permission of you
to be excused from striving [i.e., fight-
ing] with their wealth and their lives.
435 i.e., do not violate the sacred months or
commit aggression therein.
436 pighting during a sacred month.
437 If they found it advantageous to violate a sa-
cred month, they would do so, designating
another month in its place in which to observe
the restrictions concerning fighting.
438 i.e., inclining toward the comforts of worldly
life.
439 The second was his companion, Abu Bakr.
440 i.e., their claims and slogans.
441 i.e., degraded and dishonoured.
442 "La ilaha ill-Allah" ("There is no deity worthy
of worship except God").
443 i.e., young or old, riding or walking, in ease or
in hardship — in all circumstances and conditions.
444 When you return from the Tabuk expedition.
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And God is Knowing of those who
fear Him.
45. Only those would ask permission of
you who do not believe in God and the
Last Day and whose hearts have
doubted, and they, in their doubt, are
hesitating.
46. And if they had intended to go forth,
they would have prepared for it [some]
preparation. But God disliked their be-
ing sent, so He kept them back, and
they were told, "Remain [behind] with
those who remain." 445
47. Had they gone forth with you, they
would not have increased you except in
confusion, and they would have been
active among you, seeking [to cause]
you fitnah [i.e., chaos and dissension].
And among you are avid listeners to
them. And God is Knowing of the
wrongdoers.
48. They had already desired dissension
before and had upset matters for you 446
until the truth came and the ordinance
[i.e., victory] of God appeared, while
they were averse.
49. And among them is he who says,
"Permit me [to remain at home] and do
not put me to trial." Unquestionably,
into trial they have fallen. 447 And in-
deed, Hell will encompass the disbe-
lievers.
50. If good befalls you, it distresses them;
but if disaster strikes you, they say, "We
44d i.e., the women and children.
446 Q r "turned matters related to you over [in
their minds, considering how to cause you fail-
ure]."
447 By avoiding their obligation, they fell into de-
struction.
took our matter [in hand] before," 448
and turn away while they are rejoicing.
51. Say, "Never will we be struck except by
what God has decreed for us; He is our
protector." And upon God let the be-
lievers rely.
52. Say, "Do you await for us except one of
the two best things [i.e., martydom or
victory] while we await for you that
God will afflict you with punishment
from Himself or at our hands? So wait;
indeed we, along with you, are waiting."
53. Say, "Spend willingly or unwillingly;
never will it be accepted from you. In-
deed, you have been a defiantly disobe-
dient people."
54. And what prevents their expenditures
from being accepted from them but
that they have disbelieved in God and
in His Messenger and that they come
not to prayer except while they are lazy
and that they do not spend except while
they are unwilling.
55. So let not their wealth or their children
impress you. God only intends to pu-
nish them through them in worldly life
and that their souls should depart [at
death] while they are disbelievers.
56. And they swear by God that they are
from among you while they are not
from among you; but they are a people
who are afraid.
57. If they could find a refuge or some
caves or any place to enter [and hide],
they would turn to it while they run
heedlessly.
448 The hypocrites claim to have protected them-
selves by remaining behind.
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58. And among them are some who critic-
ize you concerning the [distribution of]
charities. If they are given from them,
they approve; but if they are not given
from them, at once they become angry.
59. If only they had been satisfied with
what God and His Messenger gave
them and said, "Sufficient for us is
God; God will give us of His bounty,
and [so will] His Messenger; indeed, we
are desirous toward God," 449 [it would
have been better for them] .
60. Zakah expenditures are only for the
poor and for the needy and for those
employed to collect [zakah] and for
bringing hearts together [for Islam] and
for freeing captives [or slaves] and for
those in debt and for the cause of God
and for the [stranded] traveler - an obli-
gation [imposed] by God. And God is
Knowing and Wise.
61. And among them are those who abuse
the Prophet and say, "He is an ear." 450
Say, "[It is] an ear of goodness for you
that believes in God and believes the
believers and [is] a mercy to those who
believe among you." And those who
abuse the Messenger of God - for them
is a painful punishment.
62. They swear by God to you [Muslims] to
satisfy you. But God and His Messen-
ger are more worthy for them to satisfy,
if they should be believers.
63. Do they not know that whoever op-
poses God and His Messenger - that
for him is the fire of Hell, wherein he
will abide eternally? That is the great
disgrace.
449 Meaning "We desire God and His grace and
acceptance," or "We desire whatever God wills to
give us of His bounty."
450 i.e., one who believes everything he hears.
64. The hypocrites are apprehensive lest a
surah be revealed about them, inform-
ing them of 451 what is in their hearts.
Say, "Mock [as you wish]; indeed, God
will expose that which you fear."
65. And if you ask them, they will surely
say, "We were only conversing and
playing." Say, "Is it God and His verses
and His Messenger that you were
mocking?"
66. Make no excuse; you have disbelieved
[i.e., rejected faith] after your belief. If
We pardon one faction of you - We will
punish another faction because they
were criminals.
67. The hypocrite men and hypocrite
women are of one another. They enjoin
what is wrong and forbid what is right
and close their hands. 452 They have for-
gotten God, so He has forgotten them
[accordingly]. Indeed, the hypocrites - it
is they who are the defiantly disobe-
dient.
68. God has promised the hypocrite men
and hypocrite women and the disbe-
lievers the fire of Hell, wherein they will
abide eternally. It is sufficient for them.
And God has cursed them, and for
them is an enduring punishment.
69. [You disbelievers are] like those before
you; they were stronger than you in
power and more abundant in wealth
and children. They enjoyed their por-
tion [of worldly enjoyment], and you
have enjoyed your portion as those be-
fore you enjoyed their portion, and you
have engaged [in vanities] like that in
which they engaged. [It is] those whose
deeds have become worthless in this
4M i.e., exposing the truth about.
452 i.e., refuse to spend in the way of God.
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9: Repentance
world and in the Hereafter, and it is
they who are the losers.
70. Has there not reached them the news
of those before them - the people of
Noah and [the tribes of] 'Aad and
Thamud and the people of Abraham
and the companions [i.e., dwellers] of
Madyan and the towns overturned? 453
Their messengers came to them with
clear proofs. And God would never
have wronged them, but they were
wronging themselves.
75.
and His Messenger had enriched them
of His bounty. 455 So if they repent, it is
better for them; but if they turn away,
God will punish them with a painful
punishment in this world and the He-
reafter. And there will not be for them
on earth any protector or helper.
And among them are those who made
a covenant with God, [saying], "If He
should give us from His bounty, we will
surely spend in charity, and we will
surely be among the righteous."
71. The believing men and believing wom-
en are allies of one another. They en-
join what is right and forbid what is
wrong and establish prayer and give
zakah and obey God and His Messen-
ger. Those - God will have mercy upon
them. Indeed, God is Exalted in Might
and Wise.
72. God has promised the believing men
and believing women gardens beneath
which rivers flow, wherein they abide
eternally, and pleasant dwellings in gar-
dens of perpetual residence; but ap-
proval from God is greater. It is that
which is the great attainment.
73. O Prophet, fight against the disbeliev-
ers and the hypocrites and be harsh
upon them. And their refuge is Hell,
and wretched is the destination.
74. They swear by God that they did not
say [anything against the Prophet] while
they had said the word of disbelief and
disbelieved after their [pretense of]
Islam and planned that which they were
not to attain. 454 And they were not re-
sentful except [for the fact] that God
453 i.e., those to which Lot was sent and which
earned for themselves God's punishment. See
11:82-83.
454 i.e., the murder of Prophet Muhammad.
76. But when He gave them from His
bounty, they were stingy with it and
turned away while they refused.
77. So He penalized them with hypocrisy in
their hearts until the Day they will meet
Him - because they failed God in what
they promised Him and because they
[habitually] used to lie.
78. Did they not know that God knows
their secrets and their private conversa-
tions and that God is the Knower of
the unseen?
79. Those who criticize the contributors
among the believers concerning [their]
charities and [criticize] the ones who
find nothing [to spend] except their ef-
fort, so they ridicule them - God will
ridicule them, and they will have a pain-
ful punishment.
80. Ask forgiveness for them, [O Muham-
mad], or do not ask forgiveness for
them. If you should ask forgiveness for
them seventy times - never will God
forgive them. That is because they dis-
believed in God and His Messenger,
i.e., for no reason. On the contrary, they
should have been grateful.
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9: Repentance
and God does not guide the defiantly 87.
disobedient people.
81. Those who remained behind rejoiced in
their staying [at home] after [the depar- 88.
ture of] the Messenger of God and dis-
liked to strive with their wealth and
their lives in the cause of God and said,
"Do not go forth in the heat." Say,
"The fire of Hell is more intensive in
heat" - if they would but understand. 89.
82. So let them laugh a little and [then]
weep much as recompense for what
they used to earn.
90.
83. If God should return you to a faction
of them [after the expedition] and then
they ask your permission to go out [to
battle], say, "You will not go out with
me, ever, and you will never fight with
me an enemy. Indeed, you were satis-
fied with sitting [at home] the first time, 91 .
so sit [now] with those who stay be-
hind."
84. And do not pray [the funeral prayer, O
Muhammad], over any of them who
has died - ever - or stand at his grave.
Indeed, they disbelieved in God and
His Messenger and died while they 92.
were defiantly disobedient.
85. And let not their wealth and their child-
ren impress you. God only intends to
punish them through them in this
world and that their souls should depart
[at death] while they are disbelievers.
86. And when a surah was revealed [enjoin- 93.
ing them] to believe in God and to fight
with His Messenger, those of wealth
among them asked your permission [to
stay back] and said, "Leave us to be
with them who sit [at home]."
They were satisfied to be with those
who stay behind, and their hearts were
sealed over, so they do not understand.
But the Messenger and those who be-
lieved with him fought with their
wealth and their lives. Those will have
[all that is] good, and it is those who are
the successful.
God has prepared for them gardens
beneath which rivers flow, wherein they
will abide eternally. That is the great at-
tainment.
And those with excuses among the be-
douins came to be permitted [to re-
main] , and they who had lied 456 to God
and His Messenger sat [at home]. There
will strike those who disbelieved among
them a painful punishment.
There is not upon the weak or upon the
ill or upon those who do not find any-
thing to spend any discomfort [i.e.,
guilt] when they are sincere to God and
His Messenger. There is not upon the
doers of good any cause [for blame].
And God is Forgiving and Merciful.
Nor [is there blame] upon those who,
when they came to you that you might
give them mounts, you said, "I can find
nothing for you to ride upon." They
turned back while their eyes overflowed
with tears out of grief that they could
not find something to spend [for the
cause of God] .
The cause [for blame] is only upon
those who ask permission of you while
they are rich. They are satisfied to be
with those who stay behind, and God
has sealed over their hearts, so they do
not know.
456 i.e., claimed faith.
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94. They will make excuses to you when
you have returned to them. Say, "Make
no excuse - never will we believe you.
God has already informed us of your
news [i.e., affair]. And God will observe
your deeds, and [so will] His Messen-
ger; then you will be taken back to the
Knower of the unseen and the wit-
nessed, 457 and He will inform you of
what you used to do."
95. They will swear by God to you when
you return to them that you would
leave them alone. So leave them alone;
indeed they are evil; and their refuge is
Hell as recompense for what they had
been earning.
96. They swear to you so that you might be
satisfied with them. But if you should
be satisfied with them - indeed, God is
not satisfied with a defiantly disobe-
dient people.
97. The bedouins are stronger in disbelief
and hypocrisy and more likely not to
know the limits of what Paws] God has
revealed to His Messenger. And God is
Knowing and Wise.
98. And among the bedouins are some who
consider what they spend as a loss 458
and await for you turns of misfortune.
Upon them will be a misfortune of evil.
And God is Hearing and Knowing.
99. But among the bedouins are some who
believe in God and the Last Day and
consider what they spend as means of
nearness to God and of [obtaining] in-
vocations of the Messenger. Unques-
tionably, it is a means of nearness for
them. God will admit them to His mer-
457 See footnote to 6:73.
458 i.e., a fine or penalty.
cy. Indeed, God is Forgiving and Mer-
ciful.
100. And the first forerunners [in the faith]
among the Muhajireen 459 and the
Ansar 460 and those who followed them
with good conduct - God is pleased
with them and they are pleased with
Him, and He has prepared for them
gardens beneath which rivers flow,
wherein they will abide forever. That is
the great attainment.
101. And among those around you of the
bedouins are hypocrites, and [also]
from the people of Madinah. They have
become accustomed to hypocrisy. You,
[O Muhammad], do not know them,
[but] We know them. We will punish
them twice [in this world]; then they
will be returned to a great punishment.
102. And [there are] others who have ac-
knowledged their sins. They had mixed
[i.e., polluted] a righteous deed with
another that was bad. 461 Perhaps God
will turn to them in forgiveness. In-
deed, God is Forgiving and Merciful.
103. Take, [O, Muhammad], from their
wealth a charity by which you purify
them and cause them increase, and in-
voke [God's blessings] upon them. In-
deed, your invocations are reassurance
for them. And God is Hearing and
Knowing.
104. Do they not know that it is God who
accepts repentance from His servants
459 Those who emigrated from Makkah and set-
tled in Madinah for the cause of Islam.
460 The inhabitants of Madinah who had accepted
Islam and assisted the Prophet and other emi-
grants upon their arrival there.
461 This refers to their having previously taken
part in jihad but having abstained on the occasion
of Tabuk.
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and receives charities and that it is God
who is the Accepting of repentance, the
Merciful?
their hearts until their hearts are cut
[i.e., stopped]. And God is Knowing
and Wise.
105. And say, "Do [as you will], for God will
see your deeds, and [so will] His Mes-
senger and the believers. And you will
be returned to the Knower of the un-
seen and the witnessed, and He will in-
form you of what you used to do."
106. And [there are] others deferred until the
command of God - whether He will
punish them or whether He will forgive
them. And God is Knowing and Wise.
107. And [there are] those [hypocrites] who
took for themselves a mosque for caus-
ing harm and disbelief and division
among the believers and as a station for
whoever had warred against God and
His Messenger before. And they will
surely swear, "We intended only the
best." And God testifies that indeed
they are liars.
108. Do not stand [for prayer] within it -
ever. A mosque founded on righteous-
ness from the first day 462 is more wor-
thy for you to stand in. Within it are
men who love to purify themselves;
and God loves those who purify them-
selves.
109. Then is one who laid the foundation of
his building on righteousness [with fear]
from God and [seeking] His approval
better or one who laid the foundation
of his building on the edge of a bank
about to collapse, so it collapsed with
him into the fire of Hell? And God
does not guide the wrongdoing people.
110. Their building which they built will not
cease to be a [cause of] skepticism in
111. Indeed, God has purchased from the
believers their lives and their properties
[in exchange] for that they will have Pa-
radise. They fight in the cause of God,
so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true
promise [binding] upon Him in the To-
rah and the Gospel and the Qur'an.
And who is truer to his covenant than
God? So rejoice in your transaction
which you have contracted. And it is
that which is the great attainment.
112. [Such believers are] the repentant, the
worshippers, the praisers [of God], the
travelers [for His cause], those who
bow and prostrate [in prayer], those
who enjoin what is right and forbid
what is wrong, and those who observe
the limits [set by] God. And give good
tidings to the believers.
113. It is not for the Prophet and those who
have believed to ask forgiveness for the
polytheists, even if they were relatives,
after it has become clear to them that
they are companions of Hellfire.
114. And the request of forgiveness of Ab-
raham for his father was only because
of a promise he had made to him. But
when it became apparent to him [i.e.,
Abraham] that he [i.e., the father] was
an enemy to God, he disassociated
himself from him. Indeed was Abra-
ham compassionate and patient.
115. And God would not let a people stray
after He has guided them until He
makes clear to them what they should
avoid. Indeed, God is Knowing of all
things.
- This description is of the Quba' mosque.
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9: Repentance
116. Indeed, to God belongs the dominion
of the heavens and the earth; He gives
life and causes death. And you have not
besides God any protector or any hel-
per.
117. God has already forgiven the Prophet
and the Muhajireen and the Ansar who
followed him in the hour of difficulty
after the hearts of a party of them had
almost inclined [to doubt], and then He
forgave them. Indeed, He was to them
Kind and Merciful.
118. And [He also forgave] the three who
were left behind [and regretted their er-
ror] to the point that the earth closed in
on them in spite of its vastness 463 and
their souls confined [i.e., anguished]
them and they were certain that there is
no refuge from God except in Him.
Then He turned to them so they could
repent. Indeed, God is the Accepting of
repentance, the Merciful.
119. O you who have believed, fear God
and be with those who are true.
120. It was not [proper] for the people of
Madlnah and those surrounding them
of the bedouins that they remain be-
hind after [the departure of] the Mes-
senger of God or that they prefer
themselves over his self. 464 That is be-
cause they are not afflicted by thirst or
fatigue or hunger in the cause of God,
nor do they tread on any ground that
enrages the disbelievers, nor do they in-
flict upon an enemy any infliction but
that it is registered for them as a righ-
teous deed. Indeed, God does not allow
463 Thus it seemed to them in their extreme dis-
tress.
464 In times of hardship. Rather, they should have
been willing to endure with the Prophet whatever
was necessary for Islam.
to be lost the reward of the doers of
good.
121. Nor do they spend an expenditure,
small or large, or cross a valley but that
it is registered for them that God may
reward them for the best of what they
were doing.
122. And it is not for the believers to go
forth [to battle] all at once. For there
should separate from every division of
them a group [remaining] to obtain un-
derstanding in the religion and warn
[i.e., advise] their people when they re-
turn to them that they might be cau-
tious.
123. O you who have believed, fight those
adjacent to you of the disbelievers and
let them find in you harshness. And
know that God is with the righteous.
1 24. And whenever a surah is revealed, there
are among them [i.e., the hypocrites]
those who say, "Which of you has this
increased faith?" As for those who be-
lieved, it has increased them in faith,
while they are rejoicing.
125. But as for those in whose hearts is dis-
ease, it has [only] increased them in evil
[in addition] to their evil. 465 And they
will have died while they are disbeliev-
ers.
126. Do they not see that they are tried
every year once or twice but then they
do not repent nor do they remember?
127. And whenever a surah is revealed, they
look at each other, [saying], "Does any-
one see you?" and then they dismiss
themselves. God has dismissed their
465 Literally, "filth," i.e., disbelief and hypocrisy.
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hearts because they are a people who
do not understand.
128. There has certainly come to you a Mes-
senger from among yourselves. Griev-
ous to him is what you suffer; [he is]
concerned over you [i.e., your guidance]
and to the believers is kind and merci-
ful.
129. But if they turn away, [O Muhammad],
say, "Sufficient for me is God; there is
no deity except Him. On Him I have
relied, and He is the Lord of the Great
Throne."
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Surah 10: Yunus
Period of Revelation
We learn from hadith the Surah was revealed in Makkah. But there are some people who are of the opinion
that some of its verses were revealed at Madinah. This is however a superficial view. The continuity of the
theme clearly shows that this does not comprise isolated verses or discourses that were revealed at different
times and on different occasions. On the contrary it is from the beginning to the end a closely connected
discourse which must have been revealed at one sitting. Besides this the nature of its theme is itself a clear
proof that the Surah belongs to the Makkan period.
Time of Revelation
We have no hadith in regard to the time of its revelation but its subject matter gives clear indication that it
must have been revealed during the last stage of the Prophet's residence at Makkah. For the mode of the
discourse suggests that at the time of its revelation the antagonism of the opponents of the Message had
become so intense that they could not tolerate even the presence of the Prophet and his followers among
themselves and that things had come to such a pass as to leave no hope that they would ever understand and
accept the Message of the Prophet. This indicates that the last stage of the Prophet's life among the people
had come and the final warning like the one in this Surah had to be given. These characteristics of the dis-
course are clear proof that it was revealed during the last stage of the Movement at Makkah. Another thing
that determines more specifically the order of the Surahs of the last stage at Makkah is the mention (or ab-
sence) of some open or covert hint about Hijrah (Emigration) from Makkah. As this Surah does not contain
any hint whatsoever about this it is a proof that it preceded those Surahs which contain it. Now that we have
specified the time of its revelation there is no need of repeating its historical background because that has
already been stated in Surahs 6 and 7.
Subject
This discourse deals with the invitation to the Message admonition and warning. In the very introductory
verses the invitation has been extended like this: "The people consider it a strange thing that this Message is
being conveyed by a human being and charge him with sorcery whereas there is nothing strange in it nor has
it any connection with sorcery or sooth saying. It simply informs you of two realities. First God Who has
created the universe and manages it is in fact your Master and Lord and He alone is entitled to your worship.
The second reality is that after the life in this world there will be another life in the Next World where you
shall have to render full account of the life of this world and be rewarded or punished according to whether
you adopted the righteous attitude as required by Him after acknowleding Him as your Masters or acted
against His will. Both of these realities which the Messenger is presenting before you are "realities" in them-
selves whether you acknowledge them as such or not. He is inviting you to accept these and regulate your
lives in accordance with them; if you accept these you will have a very blessed end; otherwise join shall meet
with evil consequences."
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Surah 10: Yunus 466
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1 . Alif, Lam, Ra. 467 These are the verses of
the wise 468 Book.
2. Have the people been ama2ed that We
revealed [revelation] to a man from
among them, [saying], "Warn mankind
and give good tidings to those who be-
lieve that they will have a [firm] prece-
dence of honor 469 with their Lord"?
[But] the disbelievers say, "Indeed, this
is an obvious magician."
3. Indeed, your Lord is God, who created
the heavens and the earth in six days
and then established Himself above the
Throne, 470 arranging the matter [of His
creation] . There is no intercessor except
after His permission. That is God, your
Lord, so worship Him. Then will you
not remember?
4. To Him is your return all together. [It
is] the promise of God [which is] truth.
Indeed, He begins the [process of]
creation and then repeats it that He
may reward those who have believed
and done righteous deeds, in justice.
But those who disbelieved will have a
drink of scalding water and a painful
punishment for what they used to deny.
5. It is He who made the sun a shining
light and the moon a derived light and
determined for it phases - that you may
know the number of years and account
466 Yiinus: (The Prophet) Jonah.
467 See footnote to 2:1.
468 The adjective "wise" expresses the qualities of
will, purpose, discrimination and precision.
469 i.e., a sure position due to their righteous
deeds.
470 See footnote to 2:19.
10.
11.
12.
[of time]. God has not created this ex-
cept in truth. He details the signs for a
people who know.
Indeed, in the alternation of the night
and the day and [in] what God has
created in the heavens and the earth are
signs for a people who fear God.
Indeed, those who do not expect the
meeting with Us and are satisfied with
the life of this world and feel secure
therein and those who are heedless of
Our signs -
For those their refuge will be the Fire
because of what they used to earn.
Indeed, those who have believed and
done righteous deeds - their Lord will
guide them because of their faith. Be-
neath them rivers will flow in the Gar-
dens of Pleasure.
Their call therein will be, "Exalted are
You, O God," and their greeting there-
in will be, "Peace." And the last of their
call will be, "Praise to God, Lord of the
worlds!"
And if God was to hasten for the
people the evil [they invoke] 471 as He
hastens for them the good, their term
would have been ended for them. 472
But We leave the ones who do not ex-
pect the meeting with Us, in their
transgression, wandering blindly.
And when affliction touches man, he
calls upon Us, whether lying on his side
or sitting or standing; but when We
remove from him his affliction, he con-
tinues [in disobedience] as if he had
471 In anger or in heedlessness.
472 i.e., God would have destroyed them on ac-
count of that.
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never called upon Us to [remove] an af-
fliction that touched him. Thus is made
pleasing to the transgressors that which
they have been doing.
13. And We had already destroyed genera-
tions before you when they wronged,
and their messengers had come to them
with clear proofs, but they were not to
believe. Thus do We recompense the
criminal people.
14. Then We made you successors in the
land after them so that We may observe
how you will do.
15. And when Our verses are recited to
them as clear evidences, those who do
not expect the meeting with Us say,
"Bring us a Qur'an other than this or
change it." Say, [O Muhammad], "It is
not for me to change it on my own ac-
cord. I only follow what is revealed to
me. Indeed I fear, if I should disobey
my Lord, the punishment of a tre-
mendous Day."
16. Say, "If God had willed, I would not
have recited it to you, nor would He
have made it known to you, for I had
remained among you a lifetime before
it. 473 Then will you not reason?
17. So who is more unjust than he who
invents a lie about God or denies His
signs? Indeed, the criminals will not
succeed.
1 8. And they worship other than God that
which neither harms them nor benefits
them, and they say, "These are our in-
tercessors with God." Say, "Do you in-
form God of something He does not
know in the heavens or on the earth?"
473 The Prophet lived among his people forty
years before receiving any revelation.
Exalted is He and high above what they
associate with Him.
19. And mankind was not but one com-
munity [united in religion], but [then]
they differed. And if not for a word 474
that preceded from your Lord, it would
have been judged between them [im-
mediately] concerning that over which
they differ.
20. And they say, "Why is a sign not sent
down to him from his Lord?" So say,
"The unseen is only for God [to admi-
nister], so wait; indeed, I am with you
among those who wait."
21. And when We give the people a taste
of mercy after adversity has touched
them, at once they conspire against Our
verses. Say, "God is swifter in strategy."
Indeed, Our messengers [i.e., angels]
record that which you conspire.
22. It is He who enables you to travel on
land and sea until, when you are in
ships and they sail with them 475 by a
good wind and they rejoice therein,
there comes a storm wind and the
waves come upon them from every-
where and they assume that they are
surrounded [i.e., doomed], supplicating
God, sincere to Him in religion, "If
You should save us from this, we will
surely be among the thankful."
23. But when He saves them, at once they
commit injustice 476 upon the earth
without right. O mankind, your injus-
474 God's decree to allow time on earth for His
creation or not to punish anyone before evidence
has come to him.
475 The change in pronoun from the second to
third person shows that the following description
applies specifically to the disbelievers.
476 By oppression and disobedience or by invok-
ing others besides God.
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tice is only against yourselves, [being
merely] the enjoyment of worldly life.
Then to Us is your return, and We will
inform you of what you used to do.
24. The example of [this] worldly life is but
like rain which We have sent down
from the sky that the plants of the earth
absorb - [those] from which men and
livestock eat - until, when the earth has
taken on its adornment and is beauti-
fied and its people suppose that they
have capability over it, there comes to it
Our command by night or by day, and
We make it as a harvest, 477 as if it had
not flourished yesterday. Thus do We
explain in detail the signs for a people
who give thought.
25. And God invites to the Home of Peace
[i.e., Paradise] and guides whom He
wills to a straight path.
26. For them who have done good is the
best [reward] - and extra. 478 No dark-
ness will cover their faces, nor humilia-
tion. Those are companions of Para-
dise; they will abide therein eternally.
27. But they who have earned [blame for]
evil doings - the recompense of an evil
deed is its equivalent, and humiliation
will cover them. They will have from
God no protector. It will be as if their
faces are covered with pieces of the
night - so dark [are they]. Those are the
companions of the Fire; they will abide
therein eternally.
28. And [mention, O Muhammad], the Day
We will gather them all together - then
We will say to those who associated
others with God, "[Remain in] your
place, you and your 'partners'." 479 Then
We will separate them, 480 and their
"partners" will say, "You did not used
to worship us, 481
29. And sufficient is God as a witness be-
tween us and you that we were of your
worship unaware."
30. There, [on that Day], every soul will be
put to trial for what it did previously,
and they will be returned to God, their
master, the Truth, and lost from them
is whatever they used to invent.
31. Say, "Who provides for you from the
heaven and the earth? Or who controls
hearing and sight and who brings the
living out of the dead and brings the
dead out of the living and who arranges
[every] matter?" They will say, "God,"
so say, "Then will you not fear Him?"
32. For that is God, your Lord, the Truth.
And what can be beyond truth except
error? So how are you averted?
33. Thus the word [i.e., decree] of your
Lord has come into effect upon those
who defiantly disobeyed - that they will
not believe.
34. Say, "Are there of your 'partners' any
who begins creation and then repeats
it?" Say, "God begins creation and then
repeats it, so how are you deluded?"
35. Say, "Are there of your 'partners' any
who guides to the truth?" Say, "God
477 Its vegetation having been cut down or
uprooted, i.e., utterly destroyed.
478 In addition to the pleasures of Paradise, they
will be able to see God, as reported in an authen-
tic hadith narrated by Muslim.
479 Those they had associated with God.
480 p r0 m the believers.
481 The inanimate objects, such as idols, will not
have been aware of their worship of them. But
those beings who consented to be worshipped
will lie and deny it on the Day of Judgement.
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guides to the truth. So is He who
guides to the truth more worthy to be
followed or he who guides not unless
he is guided? Then what is [wrong] with
you - how do you judge?"
36. And most of them follow not except
assumption. Indeed, assumption avails
not against the truth at all. Indeed, God
is Knowing of what they do.
37. And it was not [possible] for this
Qur'an to be produced by other than
God, but [it is] a confirmation of what
was before it and a detailed explanation
of the [former] Scripture, about which
there is no doubt, 482 from the Lord of
the worlds.
38. Or do they say [about the Prophet],
"He invented it?" Say, "Then bring
forth a surah like it and call upon [for
assistance] whomever you can besides
God, if you should be truthful."
39. Rather, they have denied that which
they encompass not in knowledge and
whose interpretation has not yet come
to them. Thus did those before them
deny. Then observe how was the end
of the wrongdoers.
40. And of them are those who believe in
it, and of them are those who do not
believe in it. And your Lord is most
knowing of the corrupters.
41. And if they deny you, [O Muhammad],
then say, "For me are my deeds, and
for you are your deeds. You are disas-
sociated from what I do, and I am dis-
associated from what you do."
42. And among them are those who listen
to you. But can you cause the deaf to
482 This phrase refers back to the Qur'an
hear [i.e., benefit from this hearing], al-
though they will not use reason?
43. And among them are those who look at
you. But can you guide the blind al-
though they will not [attempt to] see?
44. Indeed, God does not wrong the
people at all, but it is the people who
are wronging themselves.
45. And on the Day when He will gather
them, [it will be] as if they had not re-
mained [in the world] but an hour of
the day, [and] they will know each oth-
er. Those will have lost who denied the
meeting with God and were not
guided.
46. And whether We show you some of
what We promise them, [O Muham-
mad], or We take you in death, to Us is
their return; then, [either way], God is a
witness concerning what they are
doing.
47. And for every nation is a messenger. So
when their messenger comes, 483 it will
be judged between them in justice, and
they will not be wronged.
48. And they say, "When is [the fulfillment
of] this promise, if you should be truth-
ful?"
49. Say, "I possess not for myself any harm
or benefit except what God should will.
For every nation is a [specified] term.
When their time has come, then they
will not remain behind an hour, nor will
they precede [it]."
483 To witness on the Day of Judgement. Another
meaning is "Once a messenger has come [to
them in this world] ..."
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50. Say, "Have you considered: if His pu-
nishment should come to you by night
or by day - for which [aspect] of it
would the criminals be impatient?" 484
51. Then is it that when it has [actually]
occurred you will believe in it? Now? 485
And you were [once] for it impatient.
486
52. Then it will be said to those who had
wronged, "Taste the punishment of
eternity; are you being recompensed
except for what you used to earn?"
53. And they ask information of you, [O
Muhammad], "Is it true?" Say, "Yes, by
my Lord. Indeed, it is truth; and you
will not cause failure [to God]."
54. And if each soul that wronged had eve-
rything on earth, it would offer it in
ransom. And they will confide regret
when they see the punishment; and
they will be judged in justice, and they
will not be wronged.
55. Unquestionably, to God belongs what-
ever is in the heavens and the earth.
Unquestionably, the promise of God is
truth, but most of them do not know.
56. He gives life and causes death, and to
Him you will be returned.
57. O mankind, there has to come to you
instruction from your Lord and healing
for what is in the breasts and guidance
and mercy for the believers.
58. Say, "In the bounty of God and in His
mercy - in that let them rejoice; it is
better than what they accumulate."
59. Say, "Have you seen what God has sent
down to you of provision of which you
have made [some] lawful and [some]
unlawful?" Say, "Has God permitted
you [to do so], or do you invent [some-
thing] about God?"
60. And what will be the supposition of
those who invent falsehood about God
on the Day of Resurrection? 487 Indeed,
God is full of bounty to the people, but
most of them are not grateful.
61. And, [O Muhammad], you are not [en-
gaged] in any matter or recite any of the
Qur'an and you [people] do not do any
deed except that We are witness over
you when you are involved in it. And
not absent from your Lord is any [part]
of an atom's weight 488 within the earth
or within the heaven or [anything]
smaller than that or greater but that it is
in a clear register.
62. Unquestionably, [for] the allies of God
there will be no fear concerning them,
nor will they grieve -
63. Those who believed and were fearing
God.
64. For them are good tidings in the
worldly life and in the Hereafter. No
change is there in the words [i.e., de-
crees] of God. That is what is the great
attainment.
484 "Impatience" refers to the disbelievers' ridi-
cule of the Prophet by telling him to produce
God's punishment as proof of his truthfulness.
485 i.e., when it is too late to benefit from belief.
486 Challenging those who warned of it to bring it
on immediately.
65. And let not their speech grieve you.
Indeed, honour [due to power] belongs
487 i.e., what do they think He will do with them.
488 Q r "(jjg we ight of a small ant."
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to God entirely. He is the Hearing, the
Knowing.
66. Unquestionably, to God belongs 72.
whoever is in the heavens and whoever
is on the earth. And those who invoke
other than God do not [actually] follow
[His] "partners." They follow not ex-
cept assumption, and they are not but
falsifying.
73.
67. It is He who made for you the night to
rest therein and the day, giving sight. 489
Indeed in that are signs for a people
who listen.
68. They 490 have said, "God has taken a
son." Exalted is He; He is the [one] 74.
Free of need. To Him belongs whatev-
er is in the heavens and whatever is in
the earth. You have no authority for
this [claim] . Do you say about God that
which you do not know?
69. Say, "Indeed, those who invent false- 75.
hood about God will not succeed."
70. [For them is brief] enjoyment in this
world; then to Us is their return; then
We will make them taste the severe pu- 76,
nishment because they used to disbe-
lieve.
71. And recite to them the news of Noah, 77.
when he said to his people, "O my
people, if my residence and my remind-
ing of the signs of God has become
burdensome upon you - then I have re-
lied upon God. So resolve upon your 78.
plan and [call upon] your associates.
Then let not your plan be obscure to
you. 491 Then carry it out upon me and
do not give me respite.
And if you turn away [from my advice]
- then no payment have I asked of you.
My reward is only from God, and I
have been commanded to be of the
Muslims [i.e., those who submit to
God]."
And they denied him, so We saved him
and those with him in the ship and
made them successors, and We
drowned those who denied Our signs.
Then see how was the end of those
who were warned.
Then We sent after him messengers to
their peoples, and they came to them
with clear proofs. But they were not to
believe in that which they had denied
before. 492 Thus We seal over the hearts
of the transgressors.
Then We sent after them Moses and
Aaron to Pharaoh and his establish-
ment with Our signs, but they behaved
arrogandy and were a criminal people.
So when there came to them the truth
from Us, they said, "Indeed, this is ob-
vious magic."
Moses said, "Do you say [thus] about
the truth when it has come to you? Is
this magic? But magicians will not suc-
ceed."
They said, "Have you come to us to
turn us away from that upon which we
found our fathers and so that you two
489 i.e., making things visible.
490 The Christians and others.
491 i.e., Do not let it be a source of doubt or an-
xiety to you but let it be clear, open and defined.
492 i.e., the succeeding generations were persistent
in disbelief.
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may have grandeur in the land? And we
are not believers in you."
79. And Pharaoh said, "Bring to me every
learned magician."
80. So when the magicians came, Moses
said to them, "Throw down whatever
you will throw."
81. And when they had thrown, Moses
said, "What you have brought is [only]
magic. Indeed, God will expose its
worthlessness. Indeed, God does not
amend the work of corrupters.
82. And God will establish the truth by His
words, even if the criminals dislike it."
83. But no one believed Moses, except
[some] offspring [i.e., youths] among
his people, for fear of Pharaoh and his
establishment that they would perse-
cute them. And indeed, Pharaoh was
haughty within the land, and indeed, he
was of the transgressors.
84. And Moses said, "O my people, if you
have believed in God, then rely upon
Him, if you should be Muslims [i.e.,
submitting to him]."
85. So they said, "Upon God do we rely.
Our Lord, make us not [objects of] trial
for the wrongdoing people.
86. And save us by Your mercy from the
disbelieving people."
87. And We inspired to Moses and his
brother, "Settle your people in Egypt in
houses and make your houses [facing
the] qiblah 493 and establish prayer and
give good tidings to the believers."
493 In order that they might pray therein unseen
by their enemy.
88. And Moses said, "Our Lord, indeed
You have given Pharaoh and his estab-
lishment splendor and wealth in the
worldly life, our Lord, that they may
lead [men] astray from Your way. Our
Lord, obliterate their wealth and harden
their hearts so that they will not believe
until they see the painful punishment."
89. [God] said, "Your supplication has
been answered." 494 So remain on a right
course and follow not the way of those
who do not know."
90. And We took the Children of Israel
across the sea, and Pharaoh and his
soldiers pursued them in tyranny and
enmity until, when drowning overtook
him, he said, "I believe that there is no
deity except that in whom the Children
of Israel believe, and I am of the Mus-
lims."
91. Now? And you had disobeyed [Him]
before and were of the corrupters?
92. So today We will save you in body 495
that you may be to those who succeed
you a sign. And indeed, many among
the people, of Our signs, are heedless.
93. And We had certainty settled the Child-
ren of Israel in an agreeable settlement
and provided them with good things.
And they did not differ until [after]
knowledge had come to them. Indeed,
your Lord will judge between them on
the Day of Resurrection concerning
that over which they used to differ.
94. So if you are in doubt, [O Muhammad],
about that which We have revealed to
494 Literally, "the supplication of both of you,"
i.e., that of Moses and of Aaron, who joined by
saying, "Ameen" ("O God, respond").
495 i.e., his dead body will be preserved and not
destroyed.
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you, then ask those who have been
reading the Scripture before you. The
truth has certainly come to you from
your Lord, so never be among the
doubters.
95. And never be of those who deny the
signs of God and [thus] be among the
losers. 496
96. Indeed, those upon whom the word
[i.e., decree] of your Lord has come in-
to effect will not believe,
or warners to a people who do not be-
lieve.
102. So do they wait except for like [what
occurred in] the days of those who
passed on before them? Say, "Then
wait; indeed, I am with you among
those who wait."
103. Then We will save Our messengers and
those who have believed. Thus, it is an
obligation upon Us that We save the
believers. 498
97. Even if every sign should come to
them, until they see the painful pu-
nishment.
98. Then has there not been a [single] city
that believed so its faith benefited it ex-
cept the people of Jonah? When they
believed, We removed from them the
punishment of disgrace in worldly life
and gave them enjoyment [i.e., provi-
sion! for a time.
104. Say, [O Muhammad], "O people, if you
are in doubt as to my religion - then I
do not worship those which you wor-
ship besides God; but I worship God,
who causes your death. And I have
been commanded to be of the believers
105. And [commanded], 'Direct your face
[i.e., self] toward the religion, inclining
to truth, and never be of those who as-
sociate others with God;
99. And had your Lord willed, those on
earth would have believed - all of them
entirely. Then, [O Muhammad], would
you compel the people in order that
they become believers?
100. And it is not for a soul [i.e., anyone] to
believe except by permission of God,
and He will place defilement 497 upon
those who will not use reason.
101. Say, "Observe what is in the heavens
and earth." But of no avail will be signs
496 Among the interpretations of the last two
verses is that they were meant to stir the Prophet
to declare and confirm his certainty, which he
did. Another is that although the words are ad-
dressed to the Prophet, they are directed to all
people.
497 Among its meanings are filth, wrath, punish-
ment, disbelief, confusion and error.
106. And do not invoke besides God that
which neither benefits you nor harms
you, for if you did, then indeed you
would be of the wrongdoers.' " 4 "
1 07. And if God should touch you with ad-
versity, there is no remover of it except
Him; and if He intends for you good,
then there is no repeller of His bounty.
He causes it to reach whom He wills of
His servants. And He is the Forgiving,
the Merciful.
108. Say, "O mankind, the truth has come to
you from your Lord, so whoever is
guided is only guided for [the benefit
of] his soul, and whoever goes astray
498 p r0 m God's punishment.
499 See footnote to 10:95.
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only goes astray [in violation] against it.
And I am not over you a manager."
109. And follow what is revealed to you, [O
Muhammad], and be patient until God
will judge. And He is the best of judges.
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Surah 11: Hud
Period of Revelation
If we consider its theme deeply we come to the conclusion that it was revealed during the same period as
Surah Yunus and most probably followed it immediately.
Subject
The Surah deals with the same subject as Surah Yunus that is invitation to the Message admonition and
warning with this difference that the warning is sterner. This is also supported by a hadith: Some time after
its revelation Abu Bakr noted to the Prophet that he had been noticing that he was growing older and older.
The Prophet replied, 'Surah Hud and the like Surahs have made me old.' This shows that it was a very hard time
for the Prophet and these stern warnings added greatly to his anxieties that were caused by the persecution
from the Quraysh who were doing their worst to crush down the Message of Islam. For it was obvious to
the Prophet that the last limit of the respite given by God was approaching nearer and nearer and he was
afraid lest the term of the respite should expire and his people be seized by the torment. The invitation is
this: Obey the Messenger of God; discard Shirk (polytheism) and worship God and God alone: establish the
entire system of your life on the belief that you shall be called to account in the Hereafter.
The admonition is this: Remember that those people who put their faith in the outward appearance of this
worldly life and rejected the Message of the Prophets met with dire consequences. Therefore you should
consider it seriously whether you should follow the same way that history has proved to be the path to ruin.
The warning is this: You should not be deluded by the delay in the coming of the punishment: it is because
of the respite that God has granted you by His grace so that you might mend your ways: if you do not make
use of this opportunity you shall be inflicted with an inevitable punishment that will destroy you all except
the Believers.
Instead of addressing the people directly, the Qur'an has used the stories of the people of Noah, Hud, Salih,
Lot, Shu'aib and Moses to achieve the above mentioned objects. What is most prominent in their stories is
that when God passes His judgement on the people He does not spare anyone whatsoever even if he be the
nearest relative of the Prophet of the time. Only that one is rescued who had believed in the Prophet and
none else not even his own son or wife. More than that: the Faith demands from each and every Believer
that he should totally forget his relationships when that judgement comes and remember only the relation-
ship of the Faith. For it is against the spirit of Islam to show any regard whatsoever for the relationships of
blood and race. And the Muslims demonstrated these teachings practically in the Battle of Badr four years
after the revelation of this Surah.
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Surah 11: Hud 500
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1 . Alif, Lam, Ra. 501 [This is] a Book whose
verses are perfected and then presented
in detail from [one who is] Wise and
Acquainted
2. [Through a messenger, saying], "Do
not worship except God. Indeed, I am
to you from Him a warner and a brin-
ger of good tidings,"
3. And [saying], "Seek forgiveness of your
Lord and repent to Him, [and] He will
let you enjoy a good provision for a
specified term and give every doer of
favor his favor [i.e., reward]. But if you
turn away, then indeed, I fear for you
the punishment of a great Day.
4. To God is your return, and He is over
all things competent."
5. Unquestionably, they [i.e., the disbe-
lievers] turn away their breasts to hide
themselves from Him. Unquestionably,
[even] when they cover themselves in
their clothing, He [i.e., God] knows
what they conceal and what they dec-
lare. Indeed, He is Knowing of that
within the breasts.
6. And there is no creature on earth but
that upon God is its provision, and He
knows its place of dwelling and place of
storage. 502 All is in a clear register.
7. And it is He who created the heavens
and the earth in six days - and His
Throne had been upon water - that He
10.
11.
might test you as to which of you is
best in deed. But if you say, "Indeed,
you are resurrected after death," those
who disbelieve will surely say, "This is
not but obvious magic."
And if We hold back from them the
punishment for a limited time, they will
surely say, 503 "What detains it?" Un-
questionably, on the Day it comes to
them, it will not be averted from them,
and they will be enveloped by what
they used to ridicule.
And if We give man a taste of mercy
from Us and then We withdraw it from
him, indeed, he is despairing and un-
grateful.
But if We give him a taste of favor after
hardship has touched him, he will sure-
ly say, "Bad times have left me." In-
deed, he is exultant and boastful -
Except for those who are patient and
do righteous deeds; those will have for-
giveness and great reward.
12. Then would you possibly leave [out]
some of what is revealed to you, 304 or is
your breast constrained by it because
they say, "Why has there not been sent
down to him a treasure or come with
him an angel?" But you are only a
warner. And God is Disposer of all
things.
13. Or do they say, "He invented it"? Say,
"Then bring ten surahs like it that have
been invented and call upon [for assis-
tance] whomever you can besides God,
if you should be truthful."
500 Hud: (The prophet) Hud.
501 See footnote to 2:1.
502 Before birth and after death.
503 j n ridicule anc j disbelief.
504 Knowing of the Prophet's difficulties, God
urges him to patience, certain that he would not
fail to convey the message in its entirety.
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14. And if they do not respond to you -
then know that it [i.e., the Qur'an] was
revealed with the knowledge of God 505
and that there is no deity except Him.
Then, 506 would you [not] be Muslims?
15. Whoever desires the life of this world
and its adornments - We fully repay
them for their deeds therein, 507 and
they therein will not be deprived.
16. Those are the ones for whom there is
not in the Hereafter but the Fire. And
lost is what they did therein, 508 and
worthless is what they used to do.
17. So is one who [stands] upon a clear
evidence from his Lord [like the afore-
mentioned]? And a witness 509 from
Him follows it, 510 and before it was the
Scripture of Moses to lead and as mer-
cy. Those [believers in the former reve-
lations] believe in it [i.e., the Qur'an],
But whoever disbelieves in it from the
[various] factions - the Fire is his prom-
ised destination. So be not in doubt
about it. Indeed, it is the truth from
your Lord, but most of the people do
not believe.
18. And who is more unjust than he who
invents a lie about God? Those will be
presented before their Lord, and the
witnesses will say, "These are the ones
who lied against their Lord." Unques-
tionably, the curse of God is upon the
wrongdoers
505 i.e., that knowledge which no one possesses
except Him.
506 After having been convinced by such evi-
dence.
507 i.e., during worldly life.
508 i.e., during worldly life.
509 Referring to Prophet Muhammad or to the
angel Gabriel.
510 Testifying to its truth. Additionally, it can
mean "recites it," i.e., the Qur'an.
19. Who averted [people] from the way of
God and sought to make it [seem] de-
viant while they, concerning the He-
reafter, were disbelievers.
20. Those were not causing failure [to
God] on earth, nor did they have be-
sides God any protectors. For them the
punishment will be multiplied. They
were not able to hear, nor did they
see. 511
21. Those are the ones who will have lost
themselves, and lost from them is what
they used to invent.
22. Assuredly, it is they in the Hereafter
who will be the greatest losers.
23. Indeed, they who have believed and
done righteous deeds and humbled
themselves to their Lord - those are the
companions of Paradise; they will abide
eternally therein.
24. The example of the two parties is like
the blind and deaf, and the seeing and
hearing. Are they equal in comparison?
Then, will you not remember?
25. And We had certainly sent Noah to his
people, [saying], "Indeed, I am to you a
clear warner
26. That you not worship except God. In-
deed, I fear for you the punishment of
a painful day."
27. So the eminent among those who dis-
believed from his people said, "We do
not see you but as a man like ourselves,
and we do not see you followed except
by those who are the lowest of us [and]
511 They refused to listen to the truth or to perce-
ive it.
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at first suggestion. 512 And we do not 34.
see in you over us any merit; rather, we
think you are liars."
28. He said, "O my people, have you con-
sidered: if I should be upon clear evi-
dence from my Lord while He has giv- 35.
en me mercy from Himself but it has
been made unapparent to you, should
we force it upon you while you are
averse to it?
29. And O my people, I ask not of you for 36.
it any wealth. My reward is not but
from God. And I am not one to drive
away those who have believed. Indeed,
they will meet their Lord, but I see that
you are a people behaving ignorantly.
37.
30. And O my people, who would protect
me from God if I drove them away?
Then will you not be reminded?
31. And I do not tell you that I have the
depositories [containing the provision] 38.
of God or that I know the unseen, nor
do I tell you that I am an angel, nor do
I say of those upon whom your eyes
look down that God will never grant
them any good. God is most knowing
of what is within their souls. Indeed, I
would then be among the wrongdoers 39.
[i.e., the unjust]."
32. They said, "O Noah, you have disputed
[i.e., opposed] us and been frequent in
dispute of us. So bring us what you
threaten us, if you should be of the 40.
truthful."
33. He said, "God will only bring it to you
if He wills, and you will not cause
[Him] failure.
And my advice will not benefit you -
although I wished to advise you - If
God should intend to put you in error.
He is your Lord, and to Him you will
be returned."
Or do they say [about Prophet Mu-
hammad], "He invented it"? Say, "If I
have invented it, then upon me is [the
consequence of] my crime; but I am in-
nocent of what [crimes] you commit."
And it was revealed to Noah that, "No
one will believe from your people ex-
cept those who have already believed,
so do not be distressed by what they
have been doing.
And construct the ship under Our ob-
servation and Our inspiration and do
not address Me concerning those who
have wronged; indeed, they are [to be]
drowned."
And he constructed the ship, and
whenever an assembly of the eminent
of his people passed by him, they ridi-
culed him. He said, "If you ridicule us,
then we will ridicule you just as you ri-
dicule.
And you are going to know who will
get a punishment that will disgrace him
[on earth] and upon whom will descend
an enduring punishment [in the Hereaf-
ter]."
[So it was], until when Our command
came and the oven overflowed, 513 We
said, "Load upon it [i.e., the ship] of
each [creature] two mates and your
family, except those about whom the
word [i.e., decree] has preceded, and
: i.e., without any thought or hesitation.
513 As a sign to Noah of the imminence of the
flood. The tannur is a large, rounded oven. The
word can also mean the earth's lowlands.
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[include] whoever has believed." But
none had believed with him, except a
few.
41. And [Noah] said, "Embark therein; in
the name of God is its course and its
anchorage. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiv-
ing and Merciful."
42. And it sailed with them through waves
like mountains, and Noah called to his
son who was apart [from them], "O my
son, come aboard with us and be not
with the disbelievers."
43. [But] he said, "I will take refuge on a
mountain to protect me from the wa-
ter." [Noah] said, "There is no protec-
tor today from the decree of God, ex-
cept for whom He gives mercy." And
the waves came between them, and he
was among the drowned.
44. And it was said, "O earth, swallow your
water, and O sky, withhold [your rain]."
And the water subsided, and the matter
was accomplished, and it [i.e., the ship]
came to rest on the [mountain of] Judi-
yy. And it was said, "Away with the
wrongdoing people."
45. And Noah called to his Lord and said,
"My Lord, indeed my son is of my fam-
ily; and indeed, Your promise is true;
and You are the most just of judges!"
46. He said, "O Noah, indeed he is not of
your family; indeed, he is [one whose]
work was other than righteous, so ask
Me not for that about which you have
no knowledge. Indeed, I advise you,
lest you be among the ignorant."
47. [Noah] said, "My Lord, I seek refuge in
You from asking that of which I have
no knowledge. And unless You forgive
me and have mercy upon me, I will be
among the losers."
48. It was said, "O Noah, disembark in
security from Us and blessings upon
you and upon nations [descending]
from those with you. But other nations
[of them] We will grant enjoyment;
then there will touch them from Us a
painful punishment."
49. That is from the news of the unseen
which We reveal to you, [O Muham-
mad] . You knew it not, neither you nor
your people, before this. So be patient;
indeed, the [best] outcome is for the
righteous.
50. And to Aad [We sent] their brother
Hud. He said, "O my people, worship
God; you have no deity other than
Him. You are not but inventors [of
falsehood].
51. O my people, I do not ask you for it
[i.e., my advice] any reward. My reward
is only from the one who created me.
Then will you not reason?
52. And O my people, ask forgiveness of
your Lord and then repent to Him. He
will send [rain from] the sky upon you
in showers and increase you in strength
[added] to your strength. And do not
turn away, [being] criminals."
53. They said, "O Hud, you have not
brought us clear evidence, and we are
not ones to leave our gods on your say-
so. Nor are we believers in you.
54. We only say that some of our gods
have possessed you with evil [i.e., in-
sanity]." He said, "Indeed, I call God to
witness, and witness [yourselves] that I
am free from whatever you associate
with God
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55. Other than Him. So plot against me all
together; then do not give me respite.
56. Indeed, I have relied upon God, my
Lord and your Lord. There is no crea-
ture but that He holds its forelock [i.e.,
controls it]. Indeed, my Lord is on a
path [that is] straight."
57. But if they turn away, [say], "I have
already conveyed that with which I was
sent to you. My Lord will give succes-
sion to a people other than you, and
you will not harm Him at all. Indeed
my Lord is, over all things, Guardian."
58. And when Our command came, We
saved Hud and those who believed
with him, by mercy from Us; and We
saved them from a harsh punishment.
59. And that was Aad, who rejected the
signs of their Lord and disobeyed His
messengers and followed the order of
every obstinate tyrant.
60. And they were [therefore] followed in
this world with a curse and [as well] on
the Day of Resurrection. Unquestiona-
bly, Aad denied their Lord; then away
with Aad, the people of Hud.
61. And to Thamud [We sent] their brother
Salih. He said, "O my people, worship
God; you have no deity other than
Him. He has produced you from the
earth and setded you in it, so ask for-
giveness of Him and then repent to
Him. Indeed, my Lord is near and res-
ponsive."
62. They said, "O Salih, you were among
us a man of promise before this. Do
you forbid us to worship what our fa-
thers worshipped? And indeed we are,
about that to which you invite us, in
disquieting doubt."
63. He said, "O my people, have you con-
sidered: if I should be upon clear evi-
dence from my Lord and He has given
me mercy from Himself, who would
protect me from God if I disobeyed
Him? So you would not increase me
except in loss.
64. And O my people, this is the she-camel
of God - [she is] to you a sign. So let
her feed upon God's earth and do not
touch her with harm, or you will be
taken by an impending punishment."
65. But they hamstrung her, so he said,
"Enjoy yourselves in your homes for
three days. That is a promise not to be
denied [i.e., unfailing]."
66. So when Our command came, We
saved Salih and those who believed
with him, by mercy from Us, and
[saved them] from the disgrace of that
day. 514 Indeed, it is your Lord who is
the Powerful, the Exalted in Might.
67. And the shriek 515 seized those who had
wronged, and they became within their
homes [corpses] fallen prone
68. As if they had never prospered therein.
Unquestionably, Thamud denied their
Lord; then, away with Thamud.
69. And certainly did Our messengers [i.e.,
angels] come to Abraham with good
tidings; they said, "Peace." He said,
"Peace," and did not delay in bringing
[them] a roasted calf.
70. But when he saw their hands not reach-
ing for it, he distrusted them and felt
514 -j^g jj a y of Thamud's destruction.
515 A piercing cry or blast from the sky.
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from them apprehension. 516 They said,
"Fear not. We have been sent to the
people of Lot."
71. And his wife was standing, and she
smiled. 517 Then We gave her good tid-
ings of Isaac and after Isaac, Jacob.
72. She said, "Woe to me! 518 Shall I give
birth while I am an old woman and
this, my husband, is an old man? In-
deed, this is an amazing thing!"
73. They said, "Are you amazed at the de-
cree of God? May the mercy of God
and His blessings be upon you, people
of the house. Indeed, He is Praisewor-
thy and Honourable."
74. And when the fright had left Abraham
and the good tidings had reached him,
he began to argue [i.e., plead] with Us 519
concerning the people of Lot.
75. Indeed, Abraham was forbearing, griev-
ing 520 and [frequendy] returning [to
God].
76. [The angels said], "O Abraham, give up
this [plea]. Indeed, the command of
your Lord has come, and indeed, there
will reach them a punishment that can-
not be repelled."
77. And when Our messengers, [the an-
gels], came to Lot, he was anguished
for them and felt for them great dis-
516 Traditionally, if a guest refused to eat, it meant
that he harboured ill will toward the host or in-
tended him harm.
517 In pleasure at the news of the forthcoming
punishment of the evil people who denied
Prophet Lot.
518 An expression of surprise and amazement.
519 i.e., with Our angels.
520 i.e., sighting or moaning during supplication
out of grief for people and fear of God.
comfort 521 and said, "This is a trying
day."
78. And his people came hastening to him,
and before [this] they had been doing
evil deeds. 522 He said, "O my people,
these are my daughters; 523 they are pur-
er for you. So fear God and do not dis-
grace me concerning my guests. Is
there not among you a man of reason?"
79. They said, "You have already known
that we have not concerning your
daughters [i.e., women] any claim [i.e.,
desire], and indeed, you know what we
want."
80. He said, "If only I had against you
some power or could take refuge in a
strong support."
81. They [the angels] said, "O Lot, indeed
we are messengers of your Lord; [there-
fore], they will never reach you. So set
out with your family during a portion
of the night 524 and let not any among
you look back - except your wife; in-
deed, she will be struck by that which
strikes them. Indeed, their appointment
is [for] the morning. Is not the morning
near?"
82. So when Our command came, We
made the highest part [of the city] its
lowest and rained upon them stones of
layered hard clay, [which were]
83. Marked from your Lord. And it [i.e.,
God's punishment] is not from the
wrongdoers [very] far.
521 Prophet Lot feared for the safety and honour
of his guests.
522 Referring to their practice of sodomy and ho-
mosexual rape of males.
523 i.e., the woman of his community who were
available for marriage.
524 i.e., sometime before dawn.
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84. And to Madyan [We sent] their brother
Shu'ayb. He said, "O my people, wor-
ship God; you have no deity other than
Him. And do not decrease from the
measure and the scale. Indeed, I see
you in prosperity, but indeed, I fear for
you the punishment of an all-
encompassing Day.
85. And O my people, give full measure
and weight in justice and do not de-
prive the people of their due and do
not commit abuse on the earth, spread-
ing corruption.
people of Noah or the people of Hud
or the people of Salih. And the people
of Lot are not from you far away.
90. And ask forgiveness of your Lord and
then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is
Merciful and Affectionate."
91. They said, "O Shu'ayb, we do not un-
derstand much of what you say, and in-
deed, we consider you among us as
weak. And if not for your family, we
would have stoned you [to death]; and
you are not to us one respected."
86.
87.
89.
What remains Pawful] from God is best
for you, if you would be believers. But I
am not a guardian over you."
92.
"O Shu'ayb, does your
religion] command you that
They said
prayer [i.e.,
we should leave what our fathers wor-
ship or not do with our wealth what we
please? Indeed, you are the forbearing,
the discerning!" 525
He said, "O my people, have you con-
sidered: if I am upon clear evidence
from my Lord and He has provided me
with a good provision from Him...? 526
And I do not intend to differ from you
in that which I have forbidden you; I
only intend reform as much as I am
able. And my success is not but
through God. Upon Him I have relied,
and to Him I return. 527
And O my people, let not [your] dis-
sension from me cause you to be struck
by that similar to what struck the
525 This is a sarcastic description implying the
opposite.
526 The conclusion of the sentence is estimated as
"...would it not be my duty to warn you against
corruption and disobedience?"
527 i.e., I turn to God frequently in supplication
and repentance.
93.
94.
95.
96.
97.
He said, "O my people, is my family
more respected for power by you than
God? But you put Him behind your
backs [in neglect]. Indeed, my Lord is
encompassing of what you do.
And O my people, work according to
your position; indeed, I am working.
You are going to know to whom will
come a punishment that will disgrace
him and who is a liar. So watch; indeed,
I am with you a watcher, [awaiting the
outcome]."
And when Our command came, We
saved Shu'ayb and those who believed
with him, by mercy from Us. And the
shriek seized those who had wronged,
and they became within their homes
[corpses] fallen prone
As if they had never prospered therein.
Then, away with Madyan as Thamud
was taken away.
And We did certainly send Moses with
Our signs and a clear authority
To Pharaoh and his establishment, but
they followed the command of Pha-
raoh, and the command of Pharaoh
was not [at all] discerning.
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98. He will precede his people on the Day
of Resurrection and lead them into the
Fire; and wretched is the place to which
they are led.
99. And they were followed in this [world]
with a curse and on the Day of Resur-
rection. And wretched is the gift 528
which is given.
100. That is from the news of the cities,
which We relate to you; of them, some
are [still] standing and some are [as] a
harvest [mowed down] , 529
101. And We did not wrong them, but they
wronged themselves. And they were
not availed at all by their gods which
they invoked other than God when
there came the command of your Lord.
And they did not increase them in oth-
er than ruin.
102. And thus is the sei2ure of your Lord
when He seizes the cities while they are
committing wrong. Indeed, His seizure
is painful and severe.
103. Indeed in that is a sign for those who
fear the punishment of the Hereafter.
That is a Day for which the people will
be collected, and that is a Day [which
will be] witnessed.
104. And We do not delay it except for a
limited term.
105. The Day it comes no soul will speak
except by His permission. And among
them will be the wretched and the
prosperous.
106. As for those who were [destined to be]
wretched, they will be in the Fire. For
them therein is [violent] exhaling and
inhaling. 530
1 07. [They will be] abiding therein as long as
the heavens and the earth endure, ex-
cept what your Lord should will. In-
deed, your Lord is an effecter of what
He intends.
108. And as for those who were [destined to
be] prosperous, they will be in Paradise,
abiding therein as long as the heavens
and the earth endure, except what your
Lord should will - a bestowal uninter-
rupted.
109. So do not be in doubt, [O Muham-
mad], as to what these [polytheists] are
worshipping. They worship not except
as their fathers worshipped before. And
indeed, We will give them their share
undiminished.
110. And We had certainly given Moses the
Scripture, but it came under disagree-
ment. And if not for a word 531 that pre-
ceded from your Lord, it would have
been judged between them. And indeed
they are, concerning it [i.e., the Qur'an],
in disquieting doubt.
111. And indeed, each [of the believers and
disbelievers] - your Lord will fully
compensate them for their deeds. In-
deed, He is Acquainted with what they
do.
112. So remain on a right course as you have
been commanded, [you] and those who
have turned back with you [to God],
528 i.e., the curse which follows them in both
worlds.
529 Their structures have been completely de-
stroyed.
530 i.e., their sighs and sobs, resembling the bray
of a donkey.
531 See footnote to 10:19.
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and do not transgress. Indeed, He is
Seeing of what you do.
113. And do not incline toward those who
do wrong, lest you be touched by the
Fire, and you would not have other
than God any protectors; then you
would not be helped.
114. And establish prayer at the two ends of
the day and at the approach of the
night. Indeed, good deeds do away with
misdeeds. That is a reminder for those
who remember.
115. And be patient, for indeed, God does
not allow to be lost the reward of those
who do good.
116. So why were there not 532 among the
generations before you those of endur-
ing discrimination forbidding corrup-
tion on earth - except a few of those
We saved from among them? But those
who wronged pursued what luxury they
were given therein, and they were crim-
inals.
there has come to you, in this, the truth
and an instruction and a reminder for
the believers.
121. And say to those who do not believe,
"Work according to your position; in-
deed, we are working.
122. And wait, indeed, we are waiting."
123. And to God belong the unseen [as-
pects] of the heavens and the earth and
to Him will be returned the matter, all
of it, so worship Him and rely upon
Him. And your Lord is not unaware of
that which you do.
117. And your Lord would not have de-
stroyed the cities unjustly while their
people were reformers.
118. And if your Lord had willed, He could
have made mankind one community;
but they will not cease to differ,
119. Except whom your Lord has given
mercy, and for that He created them.
But the word of your Lord is to be ful-
filled that, "I will surely fill Hell with
jinn and men all together."
120. And each [story] We relate to you from
the news of the messengers is that by
which We make firm your heart. And
532 Meaning "if only there had been.
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When and Why Revealed?
The subject matter of this Surah indicates that it was revealed during the last stage of the Prophet's residence
at Makkah when the Quraysh were considering the question of killing or exiling or imprisoning him. At that
time some of the disbelievers put this question to test him: "Why did the Israelites go to Egypt?" This ques-
tion was asked because they knew that their story was not known to the Arabs for there was no mention of it
whatever in their traditions and the Prophet had never even referred to it before. Therefore they expected
that he would not be able to give any satisfactory answer to this question or would first evade it and after-
wards try to enquire about it from some Jew and thus he would be totally exposed. But contrary to their ex-
pectations the tables were turned on them for God revealed the whole story of Prophet Joseph then and
there and the Prophet recited it on the spot. This put the Quraysh in a very awkward position because it not
only foiled their scheme but also administered a warning to them by appropriately applying it to their case as
if to say As you are behaving towards this Prophet exactly in the same way the brothers of Prophet Joseph
behaved towards him; so you shall meet with the same end.'
The fact is that by applying this story to the conflict the Qur'an had made a bold and clear prophecy which
was fulfilled literally by the events that happened in the succeeding ten years. Hardly two years had passed
after its revelation when the Quraysh conspired to kill the Prophet like the brothers of Prophet Joseph and
he had to emigrate from Makkah to Madinah where he gained the same kind of power as Prophet Joseph
had gained in Egypt. Again in the end the Quraysh had to humble themselves before him just like the broth-
ers of Prophet Joseph when they humbly requested 'Show mercy to us for God rewards richly those who
show mercy' (v. 88) and Prophet Joseph generously forgave them (though he had complete power to wreak
vengeance on them) saying today no penalty shall be inflicted on you. May God forgive you: He is the great-
est of all those who forgive (v. 92). The same story of mercy was repeated when after the conquest of Mak-
kah the crest fallen Quraysh stood meekly before the Prophet who had full power to wreak his vengeance on
them for each and every cruelty committed by them. But instead he merely asked them 'What treatment do
you expect from me now?' They replied "You are a generous brother and the son of a generous brother. At
this he very generously forgave them saying I will give the same answer to your request that Joseph gave to
his brothers: '. . . today no penalty shall be inflicted on you: you are forgiven.'
Topics of Discussion
Moreover the Qur'an does not relate this story as a mere narrative but uses it as usual for the propagation of
the Message in the following ways:
Throughout the narrative the Qur'an has made it clear that the Faith of Prophets Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and
Joseph (God's peace be upon them all) was the same as that of Prophet Muhammad and they invited the
people to the same Message to which Muhammad was inviting them.
Then it places the characters of Prophet Jacob and Prophet Joseph side by side with the characters of the
brothers of Joseph, the members of the trade caravan the court dignitary; Al Aziz of Egypt and his wife the
"ladies" of Egypt and the rulers of Egypt and poses a silent question to the reader as if to say 'Contrast the
former characters moulded by Islam on the bedrock of the worship of God and accountability in the Hereaf-
ter with the latter moulded by kufr and ignorance' on the worship of the world and disregard of God and the
Hereafter and decide for yourselves which of these two patterns you would choose."
The Qur'an has used this story to bring forth another truth: whatever God wills He fulfils it anyhow and
man can never defeat His plan with his counterplans nor prevent it from happening nor change it in any way
whatever. Nay, it often so happens that man adopts some measure to fulfil his own design and believes that
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he has done that very thing which would fulfil his design but in the end he finds to his dismay that he had
done something which was against his own and conducive to the Divine purpose. When the brothers of
Prophet Joseph cast him into the well they believed that they had once for all got rid of the obstacle in their
way but in fact they had paved the way for the Divine purpose of making him the ruler of Egypt before
whom they would have to humble themselves in the end. Likewise the wife of Aziz had sent Prophet Joseph
to the prison floating over the thought that she had wreaked her vengeance on him but in fact she had pro-
vided for him the opportunity for becoming the ruler of Egypt and for putting herself to the shame of con-
fessing her own sin publicly.
And these are not the solitary instances which prove the truth that even if the whole world united to bring
about the down fall of the one whom God willed to raise high it could not succeed. Nay, the very "sure and
effective" measures that were adopted by the brothers to degrade Joseph were used by God for the success
of Joseph and for the humiliation and disgrace of his brothers. On the other hand if God willed the fall of
one no measure whatsoever effective could raise him high: nay, it helped to bring about his fall and the dis-
grace of those who adopted them.
Moreover the story contains other lessons for those who intend to follow the way of God. The first lesson it
teaches is that one should remain within the limits prescribed by the Divine Law in one's aims and objects
and measures for success and failure are entirely in the hands of God. Therefore if one adopts pure aims and
lawful measures but fails at least one will escape humiliation and disgrace. On the other hand the one who
adopts an impure aim and unlawful measures to achieve it shall not only inevitably meet with ignominy and
disgrace in the Hereafter but also runs the risk of ignominy and disgrace in this world.
The second lesson it teaches is that those who exert for the cause of truth and righteousness and put their
trust in God and entrust all their affairs to Him, get consolation and comfort from Him. For this helps them
face their opponents with confidence and courage and they do not lose heart when they encounter the ap-
parently terrifying measures of the powerful enemies. They will persevere in their task without fear and leave
the results to God.
But the greatest lesson this story teaches is that if the Believer possesses true Islamic character and is en-
dowed with wisdom, he can conquer a whole country with the strength of his character alone. The marvel-
ous example of Prophet Joseph teaches us that a man of high and pure character comes out successful even
under the most adverse circumstances. When Prophet Joseph went to Egypt, he was only a teenager of se-
venteen years, a foreigner, all alone and without any provisions; nay, he had been sold there as a slave. And
the horrible condition of the slaves during that period is known to every student of history. Then he was
charged with a heinous moral crime and sent to prison for an indefinite term. But throughout this period of
affliction, he evinced the highest moral qualities which raised him to the highest rank in the country.
Final Note
Though the story of Prophet Joseph as given in the Qur'an differs very much in its details from that given in
the Bible and the Talmud, the three generally agree in the key events.
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Surah 12: Yusuf 33
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
When they said, "Joseph and his broth-
er 537 are more beloved to our father
than we, while we are a clan. Indeed,
our father is in clear error.
1. Alif, Lam, Ra. 534 These are the verses of 9.
the clear Book.
2. Indeed, We have sent it down as an
Arabic Qur'an 535 that you might under-
stand.
We relate to you, [O Muhammad], the
best of stories in what We have re-
vealed to you of this Qur'an although
you were, before it, among the una-
ware.
[Of these stories mention] when Joseph
said to his father, 536 "O my father, in-
deed I have seen [in a dream] eleven
stars and the sun and the moon; I saw
them prostrating to me."
He said, "O my son, do not relate your
vision to your brothers or they will
contrive against you a plan. Indeed Sa-
tan, to man, is a manifest enemy.
And thus will your Lord choose you
and teach you the interpretation of
narratives [i.e., events of dreams] and
complete His favor upon you and upon
the family of Jacob, as He completed it
upon your fathers before, Abraham and
Isaac. Indeed, your Lord is Knowing
and Wise."
Certainly were there in Joseph and his
brothers signs for those who ask, [such
as]
533 Yusuf, (The Prophet) Joseph.
534 See footnote to 2:1.
535 i.e., revealed in the Arabic language.
536 The Prophet Jacob.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Kill Joseph or cast him out to [another]
land; the countenance [i.e., attention] of
your father will [then] be only for you,
and you will be after that a righteous
people." 538
Said a speaker among them, "Do not
kill Joseph but throw him into the bot-
tom of the well; some travelers will pick
him up - if you would do [something]."
They said, "O our father, why do you
not entrust us with Joseph while in-
deed, we are to him sincere counselors?
Send him with us tomorrow that he
may eat well and play. And indeed, we
will be his guardians."
[Jacob] said, "Indeed, it saddens me
that you should take him, and I fear
that a wolf would eat him while you are
of him unaware."
They said, "If a wolf should eat him
while we are a [strong] clan, indeed, we
would then be losers."
So when they took him [out] and
agreed to put him into the bottom of
the well... 539 But We inspired to him,
"You will surely inform them [some-
day] about this affair of theirs while
they do not perceive [your identity]."
And they came to their father at night,
weeping.
537 Benjamin, who was born of the same mother
as Joseph.
538 i.e., You can repent thereafter.
539 The conclusion of this sentence is estimated to
be ". . .they tormented him."
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17. They said, "O our father, indeed we
went racing each other and left Joseph
with our possessions, and a wolf ate
him. But you would not believe us,
even if we were truthful."
18. And they brought upon his shirt false
blood. 540 [Jacob] said, "Rather, your
souls have enticed you to something, so
patience is most fitting. And God is the
one sought for help against that which
you describe."
19. And there came a company of travelers;
then they sent their water drawer, and
he let down his bucket. He said, "Good
news! Here is a boy." And they con-
cealed him, [taking him] as merchan-
dise; 541 and God was knowing of what
they did.
20. And they sold him for a reduced price -
a few dirhams - and they were, con-
cerning him, of those content with lit-
tle.
21. And the one from Egypt 542 who bought
him said to his wife, "Make his resi-
dence comfortable. Perhaps he will
benefit us, or we will adopt him as a
son." And thus, We established Joseph
in the land that We might teach him the
interpretation of events [i.e., dreams].
And God is predominant over His af-
fair, but most of the people do not
know.
22. And when he [i.e., Joseph] reached ma-
turity, We gave him judgment and
knowledge. And thus We reward the
doers of good.
540 They had stained Joseph's shirt with the blood
of a lamb but had forgotten to tear it, thereby
arousing their father's suspicion.
541 To be sold as a slave.
542 The minister in charge of supplies, whose title
was al-'Azeez.
23. And she, in whose house he was,
sought to seduce him. She closed the
doors and said, "Come, you." He said,
"[I seek] the refuge of God. Indeed,
he 543 is my master, who has made good
my residence. Indeed, wrongdoers will
not succeed."
24. And she certainly determined [to se-
duce] him, and he would have inclined
to her had he not seen the proof [i.e.,
sign] of his Lord. And thus [it was] that
We should avert from him evil and
immorality. Indeed, he was of Our cho-
sen servants.
25. And they both raced to the door, and
she tore his shirt from the back, and
they found her husband at the door.
She said, "What is the recompense of
one who intended evil for your wife but
that he be imprisoned or a painful pu-
nishment?"
26. [Joseph] said, "It was she who sought
to seduce me." And a witness from her
family testified, "If his shirt is torn
from the front, then she has told the
truth, and he is of the liars.
27. But if his shirt is torn from the back,
then she has lied, and he is of the truth-
ful."
28. So when he [i.e., her husband] saw his
shirt torn from the back, he said, "In-
deed, it is of your [i.e., women's] plan.
Indeed, your plan is great [i.e., vehe-
ment] .
29. Joseph, ignore this. 544 And, [my wife],
ask forgiveness for your sin. Indeed,
you were of the sinful."
543 Her husband, al-'Azeez.
conceal it and act as if it had not taken
place.
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12: Joseph
30. And women in the city said, "The wife
of al-'A2ee2 is seeking to seduce her
slave boy; he has impassioned her with
love. Indeed, we see her [to be] in clear
error."
31. So when she heard of their scheming,
she sent for them and prepared for
them a banquet and gave each one of
them a knife and said [to Joseph],
"Come out before them." And when
they saw him, they gready admired him
and cut their hands 545 and said, "Perfect
is God! 546 This is not a man; this is
none but a noble angel."
32. She said, "That is the one about whom
you blamed me. And I certainly sought
to seduce him, but he firmly refused;
and if he will not do what I order him,
he will surely be imprisoned and will be
of those debased."
33. He said, "My Lord, prison is more to
my liking than that to which they invite
me. And if You do not avert from me
their plan, I might incline toward them
and [thus] be of the ignorant."
34. So his Lord responded to him and
averted from him their plan. Indeed,
He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
35. Then it appeared to them after they had
seen the signs 547 that he [i.e., al-A2ee2]
should surely imprison him for a
time. 548
36. And there entered the prison with him
two young men. One of them said,
"Indeed, I have seen myself [in a
dream] pressing wine." The other said,
"Indeed, I have seen myself carrying
545 So distracted were they at the sight of him.
546 In His ability to create such beauty.
547 p roo f s f hi s innocence.
548 Until the scandal be forgotten.
upon my head [some] bread, from
which the birds were eating. Inform us
of its interpretation; indeed, we see you
to be of those who do good."
37. He said, 'You will not receive food that
is provided to you except that I will in-
form you of its interpretation before it
comes to you. That is from what my
Lord has taught me. Indeed, I have left
the religion of a people who do not be-
lieve in God, and they, in the Hereafter,
are disbelievers.
38. And I have followed the religion of my
fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And
it was not for us to associate anything
with God. That is from the favor of
God upon us and upon the people, but
most of the people are not grateful.
39. O [my] two companions of prison, are
separate lords better or God, the One,
the Prevailing?
40. You worship not besides Him except
[mere] names you have named them, 549
you and your fathers, for which God
has sent down no authority. Legislation
is not but for God. He has commanded
that you worship not except Him. That
is the correct religion, but most of the
people do not know.
41. O two companions of prison, as for
one of you, he will give drink to his
master of wine; but as for the other, he
will be crucified, and the birds will eat
from his head. The matter has been de-
creed about which you both inquire."
42. And he said to the one whom he knew
would go free, "Mention me before
your master." But Satan made him for-
549 The false objects of worship which you have
called "gods".
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12: Joseph
get the mention [to] his master, and he
[i.e., Joseph] remained in prison several
years.
43. And [subsequendy] the king said, "In-
deed, I have seen [in a dream] seven fat
cows being eaten by seven [that were]
lean, and seven green spikes [of grain]
and others [that were] dry. O eminent
ones, explain to me my vision, if you
should interpret visions."
44. They said, "[It is but] a mixture of false
dreams, and we are not learned in the
interpretation of dreams."
45. But the one who was freed and re-
membered after a time said, "I will in-
form you of its interpretation, so send
me forth."
46. [He said], "Joseph, O man of truth,
explain to us about seven fat cows ea-
ten by seven [that were] lean, and seven
green spikes [of grain] and others [that
were] dry - that I may return to the
people [i.e., the king and his court];
perhaps they will know [about you]."
47. [Joseph] said, "You will plant for seven
years consecutively; and what you harv-
est leave in its spikes, except a little
from which you will eat.
48. Then will come after that seven diffi-
cult [years] which will consume what
you advanced [i.e., saved] for them, ex-
cept a little from which you will store.
49. Then will come after that a year in
which the people will be given rain and
in which they will press [olives and
grapes]."
50. And the king said, "Bring him to me."
But when the messenger came to him,
[Joseph] said, "Return to your master
and ask him what is the case of the
women who cut their hands. Indeed,
my Lord is Knowing of their plan."
51. Said [the king to the women], "What
was your condition when you sought to
seduce Joseph?" They said, "Perfect is
God! 550 We know about him no evil."
The wife of al-'Azeez said, "Now the
truth has become evident. It was I who
sought to seduce him, and indeed, he is
of the truthful.
52. That is so he [i.e., al-Azeez] will know
that I did not betray him in [his] ab-
sence and that God does not guide the
plan of betrayers.
53. And I do not acquit myself. Indeed, the
soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil, ex-
cept those upon which my Lord has
mercy. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving
and Merciful." 551
54. And the king said, "Bring him to me; I
will appoint him exclusively for my-
self." And when he spoke to him, he
said, "Indeed, you are today established
[in position] and trusted."
55. [Joseph] said, "Appoint me over the
storehouses of the land. Indeed, I will
be a knowing guardian."
56. And thus We established Joseph in the
land to settle therein wherever he
willed. We touch with Our mercy
whom We will, and We do not allow to
be lost the reward of those who do
good.
550 In His ability to create such purity of charac-
ter.
551 Although Ibn Katheer attributes the words of
verses 52-53 to the wife of al-'Azeez, others have
concluded that they were spoken by Joseph, the-
reby justifying his request for an inquiry and ac-
knowledging God's mercy to him.
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12: Joseph
57.
58.
59.
60.
And the reward of the Hereafter is bet-
ter for those who believed and were
fearing God.
And the brothers of Joseph came [seek-
ing food], and they entered upon him;
and he recogni2ed them, but he was to
them unknown. 552
And when he had furnished them with
their supplies, he said, "Bring me a
brother of yours from your father. 553
Do not you see that I give full measure
and that I am the best of accommoda-
tors?
But if you do not bring him to me, no
measure will there be [hereafter] for
you from me, nor will you approach
me."
61. They said, "We will attempt to dissuade
his father from [keeping] him, and in-
deed, we will do [it]."
62. And [Joseph] said to his servants, "Put
their merchandise 554 into their saddle-
bags so they might recogni2e it when
they have gone back to their people
that perhaps they will [again] return."
63. So when they returned to their father,
they said, "O our father, [further]
measure has been denied to us, so send
with us our brother [that] we will be
given measure. And indeed, we will be
his guardians."
64. He said, "Should I entrust you with
him except [under coercion] as I en-
trusted you with his brother before?
552 Due to the change in his appearance over the
years.
553 i.e., Benjamin, who had been kept at home by
his father Jacob.
554 Thg g OOC J s w hich they had brought to trade
for food supplies.
But God is the best guardian, and He is
the most merciful of the merciful."
65. And when they opened their baggage,
they found their merchandise returned
to them. They said, "O our father, what
[more] could we desire? This is our
merchandise returned to us. And we
will obtain supplies [i.e., food] for our
family and protect our brother and ob-
tain an increase of a camel's load; that
is an easy measurement." 555
66. [Jacob] said, "Never will I send him
with you until you give me a promise
[i.e., oath] by God that you will bring
him [back] to me, unless you should be
surrounded [i.e., overcome by ene-
mies]." And when they had given their
promise, he said, "God, over what we
say, is Witness."
67. And he said, "O my sons, do not enter
from one gate but enter from different
gates; and I cannot avail you against
[the decree of] God at all. The decision
is only for God; upon Him I have re-
lied, and upon Him let those who
would rely [indeed] rely."
68. And when they entered from where
their father had ordered them, it did
not avail them against God at all except
[it was] a need [i.e., concern] within the
soul of Jacob, which he satisfied. And
indeed, he was a possessor of know-
ledge because of what We had taught
him, but most of the people do not
know.
69. And when they entered upon Joseph,
he took his brother to himself; he said,
"Indeed, I am your brother, so do not
despair over what they used to do [to
me]."
555 For them. Or one obtained by us with ease.
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12: Joseph
70. So when he had furnished them with
their supplies, he put the [gold measur-
ing] bowl into the bag of his brother.
Then an announcer called out, "O ca-
ravan, indeed you are thieves."
71. They said while approaching them,
"What is it you are missing?"
72. They said, "We are missing the measure
of the king. And for he who produces it
is [the reward of] a camel's load, and I
am responsible for it."
73. They said, "By God, you have certainly
known that we did not come to cause
corruption in the land, and we have not
been thieves."
74. They [the accusers] said, "Then what
would be its recompense 356 if you
should be liars?"
75. [The brothers] said, "Its recompense is
that he in whose bag it is found - he
[himself] will be its recompense. 557
Thus do we recompense the wrong-
doers."
76. So he began [the search] with their bags
before the bag of his brother; then he
extracted it from the bag of his brother.
Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could
not have taken his brother within the
religion [i.e., law] of the king except
that God willed. We raise in degrees
whom We will, but over every posses-
sor of knowledge is one [more] know-
ing. 558
77. They said, "If he steals - a brother of
his has stolen before." But Joseph kept
556 'phg punishment for theft.
557 According to their law, a convicted thief was
made a slave of the one from whom he had sto-
len.
558 Ending with the ultimate knowledge of God.
78.
79.
80.
81.
82.
83.
it within himself and did not reveal it to
them. 559 He said, "You are worse in po-
sition, and God is most knowing of
what you describe."
They said, "O Azeez, 560 indeed he has
a father [who is] an old man, so take
one of us in place of him. Indeed, we
see you as a doer of good."
He said, "[I seek] the refuge of God [to
prevent] that we take except him with
whom we found our possession. In-
deed, we would then be unjust."
So when they had despaired of him,
they secluded themselves in private
consultation. The eldest of them said,
"Do you not know that your father has
taken upon you an oath by God and
[that] before you failed in [your duty to]
Joseph? So I will never leave [this] land
until my father permits me or God de-
cides for me, 561 and He is the best of
judges.
Return to your father and say, 'O our
father, indeed your son has stolen, and
we did not testify except to what we
knew. And we were not witnesses of
the unseen. 562
And ask the city in which we were and
the caravan in which we came - and in-
deed, we are truthful,' "
[Jacob] said, "Rather, your souls have
mtmrA iron f-n cnrnpt-Kmn- Co nitlpnrp 1c
enticed you to something, so patience
is
559 He did not answer that he himself had been
stolen by them from his father.
560 Addressing Joseph, who now held the title of
"al-'Azeez."
561 i.e., in my favour by bringing about the release
of Benjamin.
562 i.e., We could not have known when we gave
you the oath that he would steal and be appre-
hended.
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12: Joseph
84.
85.
most fitting. Perhaps God will bring
them to me all together. Indeed, it is
He who is the Knowing, the Wise."
And he turned away from them and
said, "Oh, my sorrow over Joseph,"
and his eyes became white 563 from
grief, for he was [of that] a suppres-
sor.
.SM
They said, "By God, you will not cease
remembering Joseph until you become
fatally ill or become of those who pe-
rish."
86. He said, "I only complain of my suffer-
ing and my grief to God, and I know
from God that which you do not know.
87. O my sons, go and find out about Jo-
seph and his brother and despair not of
relief from God. Indeed, no one des-
pairs of relief from God except the dis-
believing people."
to be lost the reward of those who do
good."
91. They said, "By God, certainly has God
preferred you over us, and indeed, we
have been sinners."
92. He said, "No blame will there be upon
you today. God will forgive you; and
He is the most merciful of the merciful.
93. Take this, my shirt, and cast it over the
face of my father; he will become see-
ing. And bring me your family, all to-
gether."
94. And when the caravan departed [from
Egypt], their father said, 565 "Indeed, I
find the smell of Joseph [and would say
that he was alive] if you did not think
me weakened in mind."
95. They said, "By God, indeed you are in
your [same] old error."
88. So when they entered upon him [i.e.,
Joseph], they said, "O Azeez, adversity
has touched us and our family, and we
have come with goods poor in quality,
but give us full measure and be charita-
ble to us. Indeed, God rewards the cha-
ritable."
89. He said, "Do you know what you did
with Joseph and his brother when you
were ignorant?"
90. They said, "Are you indeed Joseph?"
He said, "I am Joseph, and this is my
brother. God has certainly favored us.
Indeed, he who fears God and is pa-
tient, then indeed, God does not allow
563 i.e., he lost his sight.
564 He did not express the extent of his grief or
his anger at what he suspected his sons had done
but was patient, depending only upon God for
help.
96. And when the bearer of good tidings 566
arrived, he cast it over his face, and he
returned [once again] seeing. He said,
"Did I not tell you that I know from
God that which you do not know?"
97. They said, "O our father, ask for us
forgiveness of our sins; indeed, we have
been sinners."
98. He said, "I will ask forgiveness for you
from my Lord. Indeed, it is He who is
the Forgiving, the Merciful."
99. And when they entered upon Joseph,
he took his parents to himself [i.e., em-
braced them] and said, "Enter Egypt,
God willing, safe [and secure]."
565 To those present with him, either some of his
sons or other relatives.
566 ]_[ e w h carried Joseph's shirt from among the
brothers.
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100. And he raised his parents upon the 107.
throne, and they bowed to him in pro-
stration. 567 And he said, "O my father,
this is the explanation of my vision of
before. My Lord has made it reality.
And He was certainly good to me when
He took me out of prison and brought 108.
you [here] from bedouin life after Satan
had induced [estrangement] between
me and my brothers. Indeed, my Lord
is Subde in what He wills. Indeed, it is
He who is the Knowing, the Wise.
109.
101. My Lord, You have given me [some-
thing] of sovereignty and taught me of
the interpretation of dreams. Creator of
the heavens and earth, You are my pro-
tector in this world and in the Hereaf-
ter. Cause me to die a Muslim and join
me with the righteous."
102. That is from the news of the unseen
which We reveal, [O Muhammad], to 110.
you. And you were not with them when
they put together their plan while they
conspired.
103. And most of the people, although you
strive [for it], are not believers.
1 04. And you do not ask of them for it any 111.
payment. It is not except a reminder to
the worlds.
105. And how many a sign within the hea-
vens and earth do they pass over while
they, therefrom, are turning away.
Then do they feel secure that there will
not come to them an overwhelming
[aspect] of the punishment of God or
that the Hour will not come upon them
suddenly while they do not perceive?
Say, "This is my way; I invite to God
with insight, I and those who follow
me. And exalted is God; and I am not
of those who associate others with
Him."
And We sent not before you [as mes-
sengers] except men to whom We re-
vealed from among the people of cities.
So have they 568 not traveled through
the earth and observed how was the
end of those before them? And the
home of the Hereafter is best for those
who fear God; then will you not rea-
son?
[They continued] until, when the mes-
sengers despaired and were certain that
they had been denied, there came to
them Our victory, and whoever We
willed was saved. And Our punishment
cannot be repelled from the people
who are criminals.
There was certainly in their stories a
lesson for those of understanding.
Never was it [i.e., the Qur'an] a narra-
tion invented, but a confirmation of
what was before it and a detailed expla-
nation of all things and guidance and
mercy for a people who believe.
106. And most of them believe not in God
except while they associate others with
Him.
567 That of greeting and respect, which was lawful
until the time of Prophet Muhammad. Prostra-
tion to any person or object other that God was
then prohibited conclusively.
568 Those who deny Prophet Muhammad.
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Surah 13: ar-Ra'd
Period of Revelation
The internal evidence (v. 27-31 and v. 34-48) shows that this Surah was revealed in the last stage of the Mis-
sion of the Prophet at Makkah and during the same period in which Surah's Yunus, Hud, and al-A'raf were
sent down.
On the one hand his opponents had been scheming different devices to defeat him and his Mission and on
the other his followers had been expressing a desire that by showing a miracle the disbelievers might be
brought to the Right Way. In answer God impressed on the Believers that it is not His way to revert people
by this method and that they should not lose heart if He is giving the enemies of the Truth a rope long
enough to hang themselves. Otherwise He is able to show such signs as may bring the dead out of their
graves and make them speak (v. 31). But even then these obdurate people will invent an excuse to explain
this away. All this decisive evidence clearly proves that this Surah was revealed during the last stage of the
Prophet's Mission at Makkah.
Central Theme
The first verse enunciates the main theme of this Surah that is The Message of Muhammad is the very Truth
but it is the fault of the people that they are rejecting it. This is the pivot on which the whole Surah turns.
This is why it has been shown over and over again in different ways that the basic components of the Mes-
sage, Tawhid, Resurrection and Prophethood are a reality: therefore they should believe sincerely in these for
their own moral and spiritual good. They have been warned that they shall incur their own ruin if they reject
them for kufr by itself is sheer folly and ignorance. Moreover the aim of the Surah is not merely to satisfy the
minds but also to appeal to the hearts to accept the Faith. Therefore it does not merely put forward logical
arguments in support of the truth of the Message and against the people's wrong notions. But at appropriate
intervals it makes frequent use of sympathetic and earnest appeals to win over their hearts by warning them
of the consequences of Kufr (disbelief) and by holding out the happy rewards of Faith so that the foolish
people should give up their stubbornness.
Besides this, the objections of the opponents have been answered without any mention of them and those
doubts which are proving a hindrance in the way of the Message or were being created by the opponents
have been removed. At the same time the Believers; who had been passing through a long and hard ordeal
and were feeling tired and waiting anxiously for God's succour, have been comforted and filled with hope
and courage.
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Surah 13: ar-Ra'd 569
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. Alif, Lam, Meem, Ra. 570 These are the
verses of the Book; and what has been
revealed to you from your Lord is the
truth, but most of the people do not
believe.
2. It is God who erected the heavens
without pillars that you [can] see; then
He established Himself above the
Throne and made subject 571 the sun
and the moon, each running [its course]
for a specified term. He arranges [each]
matter; He details the signs that you
may, of the meeting with your Lord, be
certain.
3. And it is He who spread the earth and
placed therein firmly set mountains and
rivers; and from all of the fruits He
made therein two mates; He causes the
night to cover the day. Indeed in that
are signs for a people who give
thought.
4. And within the land are neighboring
plots and gardens of grapevines and
crops and palm trees, [growing] several
from a root or otherwise, 572 watered
with one water; but We make some of
them exceed others in [quality of] fruit.
Indeed in that are signs for a people
who reason.
10.
11.
Those are the ones who have disbe-
lieved in their Lord, and those will have
shackles 574 upon their necks, and those
are the companions of the Fire; they
will abide therein eternally.
They impatiendy urge you to bring
about evil before good, 575 while there
has already occurred before them simi-
lar punishments [to what they demand] .
And indeed, your Lord is full of for-
giveness for the people despite their
wrongdoing, and indeed, your Lord is
severe in penalty.
And those who disbelieved say, "Why
has a sign not been sent down to him
from his Lord?" You are only a warner,
and for every people is a guide.
God knows what every female carries 576
and what the wombs lose [prematurely]
or exceed. 577 And everything with Him
is by due measure.
[He is] Knower of the unseen and the
witnessed, the Grand, the Exalted.
It is the same [to Him] concerning you
whether one conceals [his] speech or
one publicizes it and whether one is
hidden by night or conspicuous [among
others] by day.
For him [i.e., each one] are successive
[angels] 578 before and behind him who
5. And if you are astonished, 573 [O Mu-
hammad] - then astonishing is their say-
ing, "When we are dust, will we indeed
be [brought] into a new creation?"
569 Ar-Ra'd: Thunder.
570 See footnote to 2:1
571 For the benefit of mankind
572 i.e., only one from a root.
573 At those who deny resurrection.
574 Iron collars to which their hands are chained.
575 They said, challenging the Prophet in ridicule,
"Bring on the punishment, if you are truthful,"
rather than asking for mercy and forgiveness
from God.
576 With absolute knowledge inclusive of every
aspect of the fetus' existence.
577 Beyond their normal period of pregnancy
and/or the number of fetuses therein.
578 Replacing each other by turn.
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protect him by the decree of God. 579
Indeed, God will not change the condi-
tion of a people until they change what
is in themselves. And when God in-
tends for a people ill, 580 there is no re-
pelling it. And there is not for them be-
sides Him any patron.
12. It is He who shows you lightening,
[causing] fear and aspiration, and gene-
rates the heavy clouds.
13. And the thunder exalts [God] with
praise of Him - and the angels [as well]
from fear of Him - and He sends thun-
derbolts and strikes therewith whom
He wills while they dispute about God;
and He is severe in assault.
14. To Him [alone] is the supplication of
truth. And those they call upon besides
Him do not respond to them with a
thing, except as one who stretches his
hands toward water [from afar, calling
it] to reach his mouth, but it will not
reach it [thus]. 581 And the supplication
of the disbelievers is not but in error
[i.e., futility],
15. And to God prostrates whoever is
within the heavens and the earth, wil-
lingly or by compulsion, and their sha-
dows [as well] in the mornings and the
afternoons.
1 6. Say, "Who is Lord of the heavens and
earth?" Say, "God." Say, "Have you
then taken besides Him allies not pos-
sessing [even] for themselves any bene-
fit or any harm?" Say, "Is the blind
579 The phrase may also be rendered "...who
guard him from [everything except] the decree of
God."
580 i.e., punishment or destruction because of
their sins.
581 The analogy indicates that false deities will
never respond to them at all.
equivalent to the seeing? Or is darkness
equivalent to light? Or have they attri-
buted to God partners who created like
His creation so that the creation [of
each] seemed similar to them?" 582 Say,
"God is the Creator of all things, and
He is the One, the Prevailing."
17. He sends down from the sky, rain, and
valleys flow according to their capacity,
and the torrent carries a rising foam.
And from that [ore] which they heat in
the fire, desiring adornments and uten-
sils, is a foam like it. Thus God
presents [the example of] truth and
falsehood. As for the foam, it vanishes,
[being] cast off; but as for that which
benefits the people, it remains on the
earth. Thus does God present exam-
ples.
18. For those who have responded to their
Lord is the best [reward], but those
who did not respond to Him - if they
had all that is in the earth entirely and
the like of it with it, they would [at-
tempt to] ransom themselves thereby.
Those will have the worst account, and
their refuge is Hell, and wretched is the
resting place.
19. Then is he who knows that what has
been revealed to you from your Lord is
the truth like one who is blind? They
will only be reminded who are people
of understanding -
20. Those who fulfill the covenant of God
and do not break the contract,
21. And those who join that which God
has ordered to be joined 583 and fear
582 The obvious conclusion is that the claimed
partners, having no ability to create, cannot be
compared to God in any way.
583 i.e., they uphold the ties of relationship.
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their Lord and are afraid of the evil of
[their] account,
22. And those who are patient, seeking the
countenance of their Lord, and estab-
lish prayer and spend from what We
have provided for them secretly and
publicly and prevent evil with good -
those will have the good consequence
of [this] home 584 -
23. Gardens of perpetual residence; they
will enter them with whoever were
righteous among their fathers, their
spouses and their descendants. And the
angels will enter upon them from every
gate, [saying],
24. "Peace [i.e., security] be upon you for
what you patiendy endured. And excel-
lent is the final home."
25. But those who break the covenant of
God after contracting it and sever that
which God has ordered to be joined
and spread corruption on earth - for
them is the curse, and they will have
the worst home. 585
26. God extends provision for whom He
wills and restricts [it]. And they rejoice
in the worldly life, while the worldly life
is not, compared to the Hereafter, ex-
cept [brief] enjoyment.
27. And those who disbelieved say, "Why
has a sign not been sent down to him
from his Lord?" Say, [O Muhammad],
"Indeed, God leaves astray whom He
wills and guides to Himself whoever
turns back [to Him] -
584 i.e., the world and its trails, its good conse-
quences being Paradise.
583 i.e., Hell. Another meaning is (in contrast to
verse 22), "...and they will have the bad conse-
quence of [this] home," also referring to Hell.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
Those who have believed and whose
hearts are assured by the remembrance
of God. Unquestionably, by the re-
membrance of God hearts are assured."
Those who have
righteous deeds -
and a good return
believed and done
a good state is theirs
Thus have We sent you to a community
before which [other] communities have
passed on so you might recite to them
that which We revealed to you, while
they disbelieve in the Most Merciful.
Say, "He is my Lord; there is no deity
except Him. Upon Him I rely, and to
Him is my return."
And if there was any qur'an [i.e., recita-
tion] by which the mountains would be
removed or the earth would be broken
apart or the dead would be made to
speak, 586 [it would be this Qur'an], but
to God belongs the affair entirely. Then
have those who believed not accepted
that had God willed, He would have
guided the people, all of them? And
those who disbelieve do not cease to be
struck, for what they have done, by ca-
lamity - or it will descend near their
home - until there comes the promise
of God. Indeed, God does not fail in
[His] promise.
And already were [other] messengers
ridiculed before you, and I extended
the time of those who disbelieved; then
I seized them, and how [terrible] was
My penalty.
Then is He who is a maintainer of
every soul, [knowing] what it has
earned, pike any other]? But to God
they have attributed partners. Say,
"Name them. Or do you inform Him
586 As suggested by the disbelievers.
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34.
of that 587 which He knows not upon
the earth or of what is apparent [i.e., al-
leged] of speech?" 588 Rather, their
[own] plan has been made attractive to
those who disbelieve, and they have
been averted from the way. And who-
mever God leaves astray - there will be
for him no guide.
For them will be punishment in the life
of [this] world, and the punishment of
the Hereafter is more severe. And they
will not have from God any protector.
messenger to come with a sign except
by permission of God. For every term
is a decree.
39. God eliminates what He wills or con-
firms, and with Him is the Mother of
the Book.590
40. And whether We show you part of
what We promise them or take you in
death, upon you is only the [duty of]
notification, and upon Us is the ac-
count.
35. The example [i.e., description] of Para- 41.
dise, which the righteous have been
promised, is [that] beneath it rivers
flow. Its fruit is lasting, and its shade.
That is the consequence for the righ-
teous, and the consequence for the dis-
believers is the Fire. 42.
36. And [the believers among] those to
whom We have given the [previous]
Scripture rejoice at what has been re-
vealed to you, [O Muhammad], but
among the [opposing] factions are 43.
those who deny part of it [i.e., the
Qur'an], Say, "I have only been com-
manded to worship God and not asso-
ciate [anything] with Him. To Him I
invite, and to Him is my return."
Have they not seen that We set upon
the land, reducing it from its bor-
ders? 591 And God decides; there is no
adjuster of His decision. And He is
swift in account.
And those before them had plotted, but
to God belongs the plan entirely. He
knows what every soul earns, and the
disbelievers will know for whom is the
final home.
And those who have disbelieved say,
"You are not a messenger." Say, [O
Muhammad], "Sufficient is God as
Witness between me and you, and [the
witness of] whoever has knowledge of
the Scripture." 592
37. And thus We have revealed it as an
Arabic legislation. 589 And if you should
follow their inclinations after what has
come to you of knowledge, you would
not have against God any ally or any
protector.
38. And We have already sent messengers
before you and assigned to them wives
and descendants. And it was not for a
587 i.e., other "deities."
588 i.e., your attributing of divinity to other than
God.
589 i.e., revealed in the Arabic language.
590 The Preserved Slate (al-~Lau>h al-MahfutB), in
which is inscribed the original of every scripture
revealed by God.
591 Referring to the spread of Islam through
God's Prophet and the diminishing of those areas
controlled by the polytheist.
592 i.e., those who recognize the truth through
their knowledge of previous scriptures.
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Surah 14: Ibraheem
Period of Revelation
It appears from the tone of the Surah that it belongs to that group of the Surahs which were revealed during
the last stage of the Makkan period. For instance v.13 ("And those who disbelieved said to their messen-
gers, "We will surely drive you out of our land, or you must return to our religion." So their Lord
inspired to them, "We will surely destroy the wrongdoers.") clearly indicates that the persecution of the
Muslims was at its worst at the time of the revelation of this Surah and the people of Makkah were bent on
expelling the Believers from there like the disbelievers of the former Prophets.
Central Theme and Purpose
This Surah is an admonition and a warning to the disbelievers who were rejecting the Message of the Proph-
et and devising cunning schemes to defeat his Mission. But warning, censure and reproach dominate admo-
nition. This is because a good deal of admonition had already been made in the preceding Surahs but in spite
of this their obduracy, enmity, antagonism, mischief, persecution etc. had rather increased.
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Surah 14: Ibraheem 593
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. Alif, Lam, Ra. 594 [This is] a Book which
We have revealed to you, [O Muham-
mad], that you might bring mankind
out of darknesses into the light by per-
mission of their Lord - to the path of
the Exalted in Mght, the Praiseworthy
God, to whom belongs whatever is in
the heavens and whatever is on the
earth. And woe [i.e., destruction] to the
disbelievers from a severe punishment -
The ones who prefer the worldly life
over the Hereafter and avert [people]
from the way of God, seeking to make
it [seem] deviant. Those are in extreme
error.
And We did not send any messenger
except [speaking] in the language of his
people to state clearly for them, and
God sends astray [thereby] whom He
wills 595 and guides whom He wills. And
He is the Exalted in Mght, the Wise.
And We certainly sent Moses with Our
signs, [saying], "Bring out your people
from darknesses into the light and re-
mind them of the days 596 of God." In-
deed in that are signs for everyone pa-
tient and grateful.
And [recall, O Children of Israel], when
Moses said to His people, "Remember
the favor of God upon you when He
593 Ibraheem; (The Prophet) Abraham.
594 See footnote to 2:1.
595 i.e., those who refuse His guidance.
596 Days of blessings bestowed upon the Children
of Israel. Also interpreted as days of punishment
and destruction of the former nations.
saved you from the people of Pharaoh,
who were afflicting you with the worst
torment and were slaughtering your
[newborn] sons and keeping your fe-
males alive. And in that was a great trial
from your Lord.
7. And [remember] when your Lord proc-
laimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely
increase you [in favor]; but if you deny,
indeed, My punishment is severe.'"
8. And Moses said, "If you should disbe-
lieve, you and whoever is on the earth
entirely - indeed, God is Free of need
and Praiseworthy."
9. Has there not reached you the news of
those before you - the people of Noah
and 'Aad and Thamud and those after
them? No one knows them [i.e., their
number] but God. Their messengers
brought them clear proofs, but they re-
turned their hands to their mouths 597
and said, "Indeed, we disbelieve in that
with which you have been sent, and in-
deed we are, about that to which you
invite us, in disquieting doubt."
10. Their messengers said, "Can there be
doubt about God, Creator of the hea-
vens and earth? He invites you that He
may forgive you of your sins, and He
delays you [i.e., your death] for a speci-
fied term." They said, You are not but
men like us who wish to avert us from
what our fathers were worshipping. So
bring us a clear authority [i.e., evi-
dence]."
1 1 . Their messengers said to them, "We are
only men like you, but God confers fa-
vor upon whom He wills of His ser-
597 Several explanations have been given as to the
meaning. Based upon the conclusion of the verse,
Ibn Katheer preferred that this was a gesture of
denial and rejection.
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vants. It has never been for us to bring
you evidence except by permission of
God. And upon God let the believers
rely.
12. And why should we not rely upon God
while He has guided us to our [good]
ways. And we will surely be patient
against whatever harm you should
cause us. And upon God let those who
would rely [indeed] rely."
13. And those who disbelieved said to their
messengers, "We will surely drive you
out of our land, or you must return to
our religion." So their Lord inspired to
them, "We will surely destroy the
wrongdoers.
14. And We will surely cause you to dwell
in the land after them. That is for he
who fears My position 598 and fears My
threat."
15. And they requested decision [i.e., victo-
ry from God], and disappointed, [there-
fore], was every obstinate tyrant.
16. Before him 599 is Hell, and he will be
given a drink of purulent water. 600
17. He will gulp it but will hardly [be able
to] swallow it. And death will come to
him from everywhere, but he is not to
die. And before him is a massive pu-
nishment.
1 8. The example of those who disbelieve in
their Lord is [that] their deeds are like
ashes which the wind blows forcefully
on a stormy day; they are unable [to
598 An alternative meaning is "the standing [for
account] before Me."
599 Literally, "after him [in time]," meaning ahead
of him.
600 That which oozes from the skins of Hell's
inhabitants.
keep] from what they earned a [single]
thing. That is what is extreme error.
19. Have you not seen [i.e., considered]
that God created the heavens and the
earth in truth? If He wills, He can do
away with you and produce a new crea-
tion.
20. And that is not difficult for God.
21. And they will come out [for judgement]
before God all together, and the weak
will say to those who were arrogant,
"Indeed, we were your followers, so
can you avail us anything against the
punishment of God?" They will say, "If
God had guided us, we would have
guided you. It is all the same for us
whether we show intolerance or are pa-
tient: there is for us no place of es-
cape."
22. And Satan will say when the matter has
been concluded, "Indeed, God had
promised you the promise of truth.
And I promised you, but I betrayed
you. But I had no authority over you
except that I invited you, and you re-
sponded to me. So do not blame me;
but blame yourselves. I cannot be
called to your aid, nor can you be called
to my aid. Indeed, I deny your associa-
tion of me [with God] before. 601 In-
deed, for the wrongdoers is a painful
punishment."
23. And those who believed and did righ-
teous deeds will be admitted to gardens
beneath which rivers flow, abiding
eternally therein by permission of their
Lord; and their greeting therein will be,
"Peace!"
601 By your obedience to me instead of Him dur-
ing life on earth.
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24. Have you not considered how God
presents an example, [making] a good
word like a good tree, whose root is
firmly fixed and its branches [high] in
the sky?
25. It produces its fruit all the time, by
permission of its Lord. And God
presents examples for the people that
perhaps they will be reminded.
exchange [i.e., ransom], nor any friend-
ships.
32. It is God who created the heavens and
the earth and sent down rain from the
sky and produced thereby some fruits
as provision for you and subjected for
you 605 the ships to sail through the sea
by His command and subjected for you
the rivers.
26. And the example of a bad word is like a
bad tree, uprooted from the surface of
the earth, not having any stability.
33. And He subjected for you the sun and
the moon, continuous [in orbit], and
subjected for you the night and the day.
27. God keeps firm those who believe,
with the firm word, 602 in worldly life
and in the Hereafter. 603 And God sends
astray the wrongdoers. And God does
what He wills.
28. Have you not considered those who
exchanged the favor of God for disbe-
lief 604 and settled their people [in] the
home of ruin?
29. [It is] Hell, which they will [enter to]
burn, and wretched is the setdement.
30. And they have attributed to God equals
to mislead [people] from His way. Say,
"Enjoy yourselves, for indeed, your
destination is the Fire."
34. And He gave you from all you asked of
Him. 606 And if you should count the
favor [i.e., blessings] of God, you could
not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind
is [generally] most unjust and ungrate-
ful. 607
35. And [mention, O Muhammad], when
Abraham said, "My Lord, make this
city [i.e., Makkah] secure and keep me
and my sons away from worshipping
idols.
36. My Lord, indeed they have led astray
many among the people. So whoever
follows me - then he is of me; 608 and
whoever disobeys me - indeed, You are
[yet] Forgiving and Merciful.
31. [O Muhammad], tell My servants who
have believed to establish prayer and
spend from what We have provided
them, secredy and publicly, before a
Day comes in which there will be no
602 -j^g testimony that there is no deity except
God and that Muhammad is the messenger of
God.
603 When questioned in their graves by the angels
after death.
604 They met God's blessing with denial instead of
gratitude.
37. Our Lord, I have setded some of my
descendants in an uncultivated valley
near Your sacred House, our Lord, that
they may establish prayer. So make
hearts among the people incline toward
them and provide for them from the
fruits that they might be grateful.
605 i.e., made serviceable to you.
606 Something of what you asked and all of what
you continually require, according to His wisdom.
607 i.e., disbelieving and denying of God's favour.
608 i.e., of my religion.
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38. Our Lord, indeed You know what we
conceal and what we declare, and noth-
ing is hidden from God on the earth or
in the heaven.
39. Praise to God, who has granted to me
in old age Ishmael and Isaac. Indeed,
my Lord is the Hearer of supplication.
40. My Lord, make me an establisher of
prayer, and [many] from my descen-
dants. Our Lord, and accept my suppli-
cation.
41. Our Lord, forgive me and my parents
and the believers the Day the account is
established."
42. And never think that God is unaware
of what the wrongdoers do. He only
delays them [i.e., their account] for a
Day when eyes will stare [in horror],
43. Racing ahead, their heads raised up,
their glance does not come back to
them, 609 and their hearts are void.
44. And, [O Muhammad], warn the people
of a Day when the punishment will
come to them and those who did
wrong will say, "Our Lord, delay us for
a short term; we will answer Your call
and follow the messengers." [But it will
be said], "Had you not sworn, before,
that for you there would be no cessa-
tion? 61 "
46. And they had planned their plan, but
with God is [recorded] their plan, even
if their plan had been [sufficient] to do
away with the mountains. 611
47. So never think that God will fail in His
promise to His messengers. Indeed,
God is Exalted in Mght and Owner of
Retribution.
48. [It will be] on the Day the earth will be
replaced by another earth, and the hea-
vens [as well], and they [i.e., all crea-
tures] will come out before God, the
One, the Prevailing,
49. And you will see the criminals that Day
bound together in shackles,
50. Their garments of liquid pitch and their
faces covered by the Fire
51. So that God will recompense every soul
for what it earned. Indeed, God is swift
in account.
52. This [Qur'an] is notification for the
people that they may be warned there-
by and that they may know that He is
but one God and that those of under-
standing will be reminded.
45. And you lived among the dwellings of
those who wronged themselves, and it
had become clear to you how We dealt
with them. And We presented for you
[many] examples."
609 This is their state at the time of resurrection
from the graves. Their heads are upraised in fixed
stares of terror, unable even to glance back.
610 Of the blessings which God had bestowed
upon you during life on earth.
611 An alternative meaning is "...and their plan
was not [sufficient] to do away with the moun-
tains," i.e., it had no effect against God's will.
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Surah 15: al-Hijr
Period of Revelation
It is clear from its topics and style that the period of its revelation is similar to that of Surah
Ibrahim as two things are quite prominent in its background. Firstly, it appears from the repeated
warnings in this Surah that despite the fact that the Prophet had been propagating the Message for
many years his people in general had not shown any inclination towards its acceptance nay they
had become more and more obdurate and stubborn in their antagonism enmity and ridicule with
the passage of time. Secondly by that time the Prophet had begun to feel a little tired of making
strenuous efforts to eradicate disbelief and opposition of his people. That is why God has consoled
and comforted him over and over again by way of encouragement.
Topics and the Central Theme
Though the main topics of the Surah are :
a. warning to those who rejected his Message, opposed it tooth and nail and ridiculed him.
b. comfort and encouragement to the Prophet
It does not mean that this Surah does not contain admonition and instructions. As a matter of fact
the Qur'an never confines itself to mere warning; rebuke and censure but resorts to precept in
every suitable place. Accordingly this Surah contains brief arguments for Tawhid (Monothesim) on
the one hand and admonition in the story of Adam and Satan on the other.
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Surah 15: al-Hijr 612
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1 . Alif, Lam, Ra. 613 These are the verses of
the Book and a clear Qur'an [i.e., recita-
tion],
2. Perhaps those who disbelieve will
wish 614 that they had been Muslims.
3. Let them eat and enjoy themselves and
be diverted by [false] hope, for they are
going to know.
4. And We did not destroy any city but
that for it was a known decree.
5. No nation will precede its term, nor will
they remain thereafter.
6. And they say, "O you upon whom the
message has been sent down, indeed
you are mad. 615
7. Why do you not bring us the angels, if
you should be among the truthful?"
8. We do not send down the angels except
with truth; 616 and they [i.e., the disbe-
lievers] would not then be reprieved.
9. Indeed, it is We who sent down the
message [i.e., the Qur'an], and indeed,
We will be its guardian.
612 Al-Hijr. The valley of stone. It was inhabited
by the tribe of Thamud (mentioned in verses 80-
84), who caved palaces and dwellings out of the
rock.
613 See footnote to 2:1.
614 On the Day of Judgement or at the time of
death.
615 Literally, "possessed by jinn."
616 i.e., with a message or, as the conclusion of the
verse suggests, to carry out a promised punish-
ment.
10. And We had certainly sent [messengers]
before you, [O Muhammad], among
the sects of the former peoples.
1 1 . And no messenger would come to them
except that they ridiculed him.
12. Thus do We insert it [i.e., denial] into
the hearts of the criminals.
13. They will not believe in it, while there
has already occurred the precedent of
the former peoples.
14. And [even] if We opened to them a gate
from the heaven and they continued
therein to ascend,
15. They would say, "Our eyes have only
been dazzled. Rather, we are a people
affected by magic."
16. And We have placed within the heaven
great stars and have beautified it for the
observers.
17. And We have protected it from every
devil expelled [from the mercy of God]
18. Except one who steals a hearing and is
pursued by a clear burning flame.
19. And the earth - We have spread it and
cast therein firmly set mountains and
caused to grow therein [something] of
every well-balanced thing.
20. And We have made for you therein
means of living and [for] those for
whom you are not providers. 617
21. And there is not a thing but that with
Us are its depositories, and We do not
617 God has put at your service other men and
animals for which He provides. An additional
meaning is that God provides means for your
living and for all other creatures as well.
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send it down except according to a
known [i.e., specified] measure.
22. And We have sent the fertilizing
winds 618 and sent down water from the
sky and given you drink from it. And
you are not its retainers.
23. And indeed, it is We who give life and
cause death, and We are the Inheri-
tor. 619
24. And We have already known the pre-
ceding [generations] among you, and
We have already known the later [ones
to come].
25. And indeed, your Lord will gather
them; indeed, He is Wise and Knowing.
26. And We did certainly create man out of
clay from an altered black mud.
27. And the jinn We created before from
scorching fire.
28. And [mention, O Muhammad], when
your Lord said to the angels, "I will
create a human being out of clay from
an altered black mud.
31. Except Iblees; 621 he refused to be with
those who prostrated.
32. [God] said, "O Iblees, what is [the mat-
ter] with you that you are not with
those who prostrate?"
33. He said, "Never would I prostrate to a
human whom You created out of clay
from an altered black mud."
34. [God] said, "Then get out of it, 622 for
indeed, you are expelled.
35. And indeed, upon you is the curse until
the Day of Recompense."
36. He said, "My Lord, then reprieve me
until the Day they are resurrected."
37. [God] said, "So indeed, you are of those
reprieved
38. Until the Day of the time well-known."
39. [Iblees] said, "My Lord, because You
have put me in error, I will surely make
[disobedience] attractive to them [i.e.,
mankind] on earth, and I will mislead
them all
29. And when I have proportioned him and
breathed into him of My [created]
soul, 620 then fall down to him in pro-
stration."
30. So the angels prostrated - all of them
entirely,
618 Causing precipitation in rainclouds or carrying
pollen. Another meaning is "pregnant winds,"
i.e., those earning rainclouds.
619 God remains after all creation has passed
away.
620 ^hg element of life and soul which God
created for that body, not His own sprit or part
of Himself (as some mistakenly believe).
40. Except, among them, Your chosen ser-
vants."
41. [God] said, "This is a path [of return] to
Me [that is] straight.
42. Indeed, My servants - no authority will
you have over them, except those who
follow you of the deviators.
43. And indeed, Hell is the promised place
for them all.
621 Who was of the. jinn. See 18:50.
622 Your position in the heavens.
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44. It has seven gates; for every gate is of
them [i.e., Satan's followers] a portion
designated."
45. Indeed, the righteous will be within
gardens and springs,
46. [Having been told], "Enter it in peace,
safe [and secure]."
47. And We will remove whatever is in
their breasts of resentment, 623 [so they
will be] brothers, on thrones facing
each other.
48. No fatigue will touch them therein, nor
from it will they [ever] be removed.
49. [O Muhammad], inform My servants
that it is I who am the Forgiving, the
Merciful,
56. He said, "And who despairs of the mer-
cy of his Lord except for those astray?"
57. [Abraham] said, "Then what is your
business [here], O messengers?"
58. They said, "Indeed, we have been sent
to a people of criminals,
59. Except the family of Lot; indeed, we
will save them all
60. Except his wife." We [i.e., God] decreed
that she is of those who remain be-
hind. 624
61. And when the messengers came to the
family of Lot,
62. He said, "Indeed, you are people un-
known."
50. And that it is My punishment which is
the painful punishment.
51. And inform them about the guests of
Abraham,
52. When they entered upon him and said,
"Peace." [Abraham] said, "Indeed, we
are fearful [i.e., apprehensive] of you."
53. [The angels] said, "Fear not. Indeed, we
give you good tidings of a learned boy."
54. He said, "Have you given me good tid-
ings although old age has come upon
me? Then of what [wonder] do you in-
form?"
55. They said, "We have given you good
tidings in truth, so do not be of the
despairing."
63. They said, "But we have come to you
with that about which they were disput-
ing,
64. And we have come to you with truth,
and indeed, we are truthful.
65. So set out with your family during a
portion of the night and follow behind
them and let not anyone among you
look back and continue on to where
you are commanded."
66. And We conveyed to him [the decree]
of that matter: that those [sinners]
would be eliminated by early morning.
67. And the people of the city came rejoic-
ing
<,?.=•
68. [Lot] said, "Indeed, these are my guests,
so do not shame me.
623 See footnote to 7:43.
624 For having collaborated with the evildoers.
625 At the news of Lot's visitors.
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69. And fear God and do not disgrace me."
70. They said, "Have we not forbidden you
from [protecting] people?"
71. [Lot] said, "These are my daughters 626 -
if you would be doers [of lawful mar-
riage]."
72. By your life, [O Muhammad], indeed
they were, in their intoxication, wander-
ing blindly.
73. So the shriek 627 seized them at sunrise.
74. And We made the highest part [of the
city] its lowest and rained upon them
stones of hard clay.
75. Indeed in that are signs for those who
discern.
76. And indeed, they [i.e., those cities] are
[situated] on an established road.
77. Indeed in that is a sign for the believers.
78. And the companions of the thicket [i.e.,
the people of Madyan] were [also]
wrongdoers,
79. So We took retribution from them, and
indeed, both [cities] are on a clear
highway.
80. And certainly did the companions of al-
Hijr 628 [i.e., the Thamud] deny the mes-
sengers.
81. And We gave them Our signs, but from
them they were turning away.
626 i.e., the women of his community who were
lawful for marriage.
627 See footnote to 11:67.
628 'phg va ii e y f stone.
82. And they used to carve from the moun-
tains, houses, feeling secure.
83. But the shriek seized them at early
morning,
84. So nothing availed them [from] what
they used to earn.
85. And We have not created the heavens
and earth and that between them ex-
cept in truth. And indeed, the Hour is
coming; so forgive with gracious for-
giveness.
86. Indeed, your Lord - He is the Knowing
Creator.
87. And We have certainly given you, [O
Muhammad], seven of the often re-
peated [verses] 629 and the great Qur'an.
88. Do not extend your eyes toward that by
which We have given enjoyment to
[certain] categories of them [i.e., the
disbelievers], and do not grieve over
them. And lower your wing [i.e., show
kindness] to the believers
89. And say, "Indeed, I am the clear warn-
er"-
90. Just as We had revealed [scriptures] to
the separators 630
91. Who have made the Qur'an into por-
tions. 631
92. So by your Lord, We will surely ques-
tion them all
93. About what they used to do.
629 Referring to Surah al-Fdtihah.
630 Specifically, the Jews and Christians, who se-
parated from the teachings of their prophets.
631 Accepting part and rejecting part according to
their own inclinations.
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94. Then declare what you are com-
manded 632 and turn away from the po-
lyfheists. 633
95. Indeed, We are sufficient for you
against the mockers
96. Who make [equal] with God another
deity. But they are going to know.
97. And We already know that your breast
is constrained by what they say.
98. So exalt [God] with praise of your Lord
and be of those who prostrate [to
Him].
99. And worship your Lord until there
comes to you the certainty [i.e., death].
632 •j'hg implication is "Thereby you will distin-
guish or separate the disbelievers from the believ-
ers."
633 Any who persist in association of others with
God.
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Surah 16: an-Nahl
Period of Revelation
The following internal evidence shows that this Surah was revealed during the last Makkan stage of Prophet-
hood:
1. V. 41 clearly shows that persecution had forced some Muslims to emigrate to Abassinyah before
the revelation of this Surah.
2. It is evident from v. 106 that at that time the persecution of the Muslims was at its height. There-
fore a problem had arisen in regard to the utterance of a blasphemous word without actual disbelief
under unbearable conditions. The problem was that if one did so how should he be treated.
3. V. 112-114 clearly refer to the end of a seven year famine that had struck Makkah some years after
the appointment of the Prophet as God's Messenger.
Central Theme
All the topics of the Surah revolve around different aspects of the Message i.e., refutation of Shirk (polythe-
ism) proof of Tawhid and warning of the consequences of the rejection of and opposition and antagonism to
the Message.
Topics of Discussion
The very first verse gives direct and strict warning to those who were rejecting the Message outright as if to
say God's decision has already been made concerning your rejection of the Message. Why are you then cla-
mouring for hastening it? Why don't you make use of the respite that is being given to you! And this was
exactly what the disbelievers of Makkah needed at the time of the revelation of this Surah. For they chal-
lenged the Prophet over and over again: "Why don't you bring that scourge with which you have been
threatening us! For we have not only rejected your Message but have been openly opposing it for a long
time." Such a challenge had become a by-word with them which they frequently repeated as a clear proof
that Muhammad was not a true Prophet.
Immediately after this warning they have been admonished to give up shirk (polytheism) for this false creed
was the main obstacle in the way of the Message. Then the following topics come over and over again one
after the other:
1 . Very convincing proofs of Tawhid and refutation of Shirk have been based on the plain signs in the
universe and in man's own self.
2. The objections of the disbelievers have been answered, their arguments refuted, their doubts re-
moved and their false pretexts exposed.
3. Warnings have been given of the consequences of persistence in false ways and antagonism to the
Message.
4. The moral changes which the Message of the Prophet aims to bring practically in human life have
been presented briefly in an appealing manner. The polytheists have been told that belief in God
which they also professed demanded that it should not be confined merely to lip service but this
creed should take a definite shape in moral and practical life.
The Prophet and his companions have been comforted and told about the attitude they should adopt in the
face of antagonism and persecution by the disbelievers.
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Surah 16: an-Nahl 634
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1 . The command of God is coming, 635 so
be not impatient for it. Exalted is He
and high above what they associate
with Him.
2. He sends down the angels, with the
inspiration [i.e., revelation] of His
command, upon whom He wills of His
servants, [telling them], "Warn that
there is no deity except Me; so fear
Me."
3. He created the heavens and earth in
truth. High is He above what they as-
sociate with Him.
4. He created man from a sperm-drop;
then at once 636 he is a clear adversary.
5. And the gra2ing livestock He has
created for you; in them is warmth 637
and [numerous] benefits, and from
them you eat.
6. And for you in them is [the enjoyment
of] beauty when you bring them in [for
the evening] and when you send them
out [to pasture].
7. And they carry your loads to a land you
could not have reached except with dif-
ficulty to yourselves. Indeed, your Lord
is Kind and Merciful.
8. And [He created] the horses, mules and
donkeys for you to ride and [as]
<u An-Nahl: The Bee.
635 Literally, "has come," indicating the certainty
and nearness of the Last Hour.
636 As soon as he becomes strong and indepen-
dent.
637 i.e., in clothing, tents, furnishings, etc.
adornment. And He creates that which
you do not know.
9. And upon God 638 is the direction of the
[right] way, and among them [i.e., the
various paths] are those deviating. And
if He willed, He could have guided you
all.
10. It is He who sends down rain from the
sky; from it is drink and from it is fo-
liage in which you pasture [animals] .
1 1 . He causes to grow for you thereby the
crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines,
and from all the fruits. Indeed in that is
a sign for a people who give thought.
12. And He has subjected for you the night
and day and the sun and moon, and the
stars are subjected by His command.
Indeed in that are signs for a people
who reason.
13. And [He has subjected] whatever He
multiplied for you on the earth of vary-
ing colors. Indeed in that is a sign for a
people who remember.
14. And it is He who subjected the sea for
you to eat from it tender meat and to
extract from it ornaments which you
wear. And you see the ships plowing
through it, and [He subjected it] that
you may seek of His bounty; and per-
haps you will be grateful.
15. And He has cast into the earth firmly
set mountains, lest it shift with you, and
[made] rivers and roads, that you may
be guided,
638 God has taken it upon Himself to guide man
to the right path. The meaning has also been in-
terpreted as "To God. . ."
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16. And landmarks. And by the stars they
are [also] guided. 639
17. Then is He who creates like one who
does not create? So will you not be re-
minded?
1 8. And if you should count the favors of
God, you could not enumerate them.
Indeed, God is Forgiving and Merciful.
19. And God knows what you conceal and
what you declare.
20. And those they invoke other than God
create nothing, and they [themselves]
are created.
21. They are, [in fact], dead, 640 not alive,
and they do not perceive when they will
be resurrected.
22. Your god is one God. But those who
do not believe in the Hereafter - their
hearts are disapproving, and they are
arrogant.
23. Assuredly, God knows what they con-
ceal and what they declare. Indeed, He
does not like the arrogant.
24. And when it is said to them, "What has
your Lord sent down?" they say, "Le-
gends of the former peoples,"
25. That they may bear their own burdens
[i.e., sins] in full on the Day of Resur-
rection and some of the burdens of
those whom they misguide without [i.e.,
by lack of] knowledge. Unquestionably,
evil is that which they bear.
26. Those before them had already plotted,
but God came at [i.e., uprooted] their
639 Through the desert or the sea at night.
640 i.e., inanimate or without understanding.
building from the foundations, so the
roof fell upon them from above
them, 641 and the punishment came to
them from where they did not perceive.
27. Then on the Day of Resurrection He
will disgrace them and say, "Where are
My 'partners' for whom you used to
oppose [the believers]?" Those who
were given knowledge will say, "Indeed
disgrace, this Day, and evil are upon the
disbelievers" -
28. The ones whom the angels take in
death [while] wronging themselves, 642
and [who] then offer submission, [say-
ing], "We were not doing any evil."
But, yes! Indeed, God is Knowing of
what you used to do.
29. So enter the gates of Hell to abide eter-
nally therein, and how wretched is the
residence of the arrogant.
30. And it will be said to those who feared
God, "What did your Lord send
down?" They will say, "[That which is]
good." For those who do good in this
world is good; and the home of the He-
reafter is better. And how excellent is
the home of the righteous -
31. Gardens of perpetual residence, which
they will enter, beneath which rivers
flow. They will have therein whatever
they wish. Thus does God reward the
righteous -
32. The ones whom the angels take in
death, [being] good and pure; [the an-
gels] will say, "Peace be upon you. En-
ter Paradise for what you used to do."
641 i.e., God caused their plan to fail and exposed
their plot.
642 i.e., having made punishment due to them for
their numerous sins and crimes.
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33. Do they [i.e., the disbelievers] await 39.
[anything] except that the angels should
come to them or there comes the
command of your Lord? Thus did
those do before them. And God
wronged them not, but they had been 40.
wronging themselves.
34. So they were struck by the evil conse-
quences of what they did and were en- 41.
veloped by what they used to ridicule.
35. And those who associate others with
God say, "If God had willed, we would
not have worshipped anything other
than Him, neither we nor our fathers,
nor would we have forbidden anything 42.
through other than Him." Thus did
those do before them. So is there upon
the messengers except [the duty of] 43.
clear notification?
36. And We certainly sent into every nation
a messenger, [saying], "Worship God
and avoid taghut." 643 And among them
were those whom God guided, and 44.
among them were those upon whom
error was [deservedly] decreed. So pro-
ceed [i.e., travel] through the earth and
observe how was the end of the den-
iers.
37. [Even] if you should strive for their 45.
guidance, [O Muhammad], indeed, God
does not guide those He sends astray, 644
and they will have no helpers.
38. And they swear by God their strongest
oaths [that] God will not resurrect one 46.
who dies. But yes - [it is] a true promise
[binding] upon Him, but most of the
people do not know.
[It is] so He will make clear to them [the
truth of] that wherein they differ and so
those who have disbelieved may know
that they were liars.
Indeed, Our word to a thing when We
intend it is but that We say to it, "Be,"
and it is.
And those who emigrated for [the cause
of] God after they had been wronged -
We will surely setde them in this world
in a good place; but the reward of the
Hereafter is greater, if only they could
know.
[They are] those who endured patiendy
and upon their Lord relied.
And We sent not before you except
men to whom We revealed [Our mes-
sage]. So ask the people of the message
[i.e., former scriptures] if you do not
know.
[We sent them] with clear proofs and
written ordinances. And We revealed to
you the message [i.e., the Qur'an] that
you may make clear to the people what
was sent down to them and that they
might give thought.
Then, do those who have planned evil
deeds feel secure that God will not
cause the earth to swallow them or that
the punishment will not come upon
them from where they do not perceive?
Or that He would not seize them dur-
ing their [usual] activity, and they could
not cause failure [i.e., escape from
Him]?
643 False objects of worship.
644 As a result of their choice to reject guidance.
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47. Or that He would not seize them grad-
ually [in a state of dread]? 645 But indeed,
your Lord is Kind and Merciful. 646
48. Have they not considered what things 57.
God has created? Their shadows incline
to the right and to the left, prostrating
to God, while they [i.e., those creations]
are humble. 58.
49. And to God prostrates whatever is in
the heavens and whatever is on the
earth of creatures, and the angels [as 59.
well], and they are not arrogant.
50. They fear their Lord above them, and
they do what they are commanded.
that which We have provided them. By
God, you will surely be questioned
about what you used to invent.
And they attribute to God daughters 649
- exalted is He - and for them is what
they desire [i.e., sons].
And when one of them is informed of
[the birth of] a female, his face be-
comes dark, and he suppresses grief.
He hides himself from the people be-
cause of the ill of which he has been in-
formed. Should he keep it in humilia-
tion or bury it in the ground? Unques-
tionably, evil is what they decide.
51. And God has said, "Do not take for
yourselves two 647 deities. He [i.e., God]
is but one God, so fear only Me."
52. And to Him belongs whatever is in the
heavens and the earth, and to Him is
[due] worship constantly. Then is it
other than God that you fear?
53. And whatever you have of favor - it is
from God. Then when adversity touch-
es you, to Him you cry for help.
54. Then when He removes the adversity
from you, at once a party of you asso-
ciates others with their Lord
55. So they will deny what We have given
them. Then enjoy yourselves, for you
are going to know.
56. And they assign to what they do not
know 648 [i.e., false deities] a portion of
643 i.e., being aware of what is about to strike
them after having seen those near them succumb.
646 Postponing deserved punishment and giving
opportunities for repentance.
647 Meaning more than one.
60. For those who do not believe in the
Hereafter is the description [i.e., an
attribute] of evil; 650 and for God is the
highest attribute. And He is Exalted in
Might, the Wise.
61. And if God were to impose blame on
the people for their wrongdoing, He
would not have left upon it [i.e., the
earth] any creature, but He defers them
for a specified term. And when their
term has come, they will not remain
behind an hour, nor will they precede
[it].
62. And they attribute to God that which
they dislike [i.e., daughters], and their
tongues assert the lie that they will have
the best [from Him], Assuredly, they
will have the Fire, and they will be
[therein] neglected. 651
648 i.e., that of which they have no knowledge;
rather, they have mere assumption based upon
tradition or the claims of misguided men.
649 By claiming that the angels are His daughters.
650 Such as that described in the previous two
verses.
651 Another meaning is ". . .and they will be made
to precede [all others thereto]."
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63. By God, We did certainly send [mes-
sengers] to nations before you, but Sa-
tan made their deeds attractive to them.
And he is their [i.e., the disbelievers] al-
ly today [as well], and they will have a
painful punishment.
70. And God created you; then He will take
you in death. And among you is he who
is reversed to the most decrepit [old]
age so that he will not know, after [hav-
ing had] knowledge, a thing. Indeed,
God is Knowing and Competent.
64. And We have not revealed to you the 71.
Book, [O Muhammad], except for you
to make clear to them that wherein they
have differed and as guidance and mer-
cy for a people who believe.
65. And God has sent down rain from the
sky and given life thereby to the earth
after its lifelessness. Indeed in that is a
sign for a people who listen. 72.
66. And indeed, for you in gra2ing livestock
is a lesson. We give you drink from
what is in their bellies - between excre-
tion and blood - pure milk, palatable to
drinkers.
And God has favored some of you over
others in provision. But those who
were favored [i.e., given more] would
not hand over their provision to those
whom their right hands possess [i.e.,
slaves] so they would be equal to them
therein. 654 Then is it the favor of God
they reject?
And God has made for you from your-
selves mates and has made for you
from your mates sons and grandchil-
dren and has provided for you from the
good things. Then in falsehood do they
believe and in the favor of God they
disbelieve?
67. And from the fruits of the palm trees
and grapevines you take intoxicant and
good provision. 652 Indeed in that is a
sign for a people who reason.
68. And your Lord inspired to the bee,
"Take for yourself among the moun-
tains, houses [i.e., hives], and among
the trees and [in] that which they con-
struct.
69. Then eat from all the fruits 653 and fol-
low the ways of your Lord laid down
[for you]." There emerges from their
bellies a drink, varying in colors, in
which there is healing for people. In-
deed in that is a sign for a people who
give thought.
73. And they worship besides God that
which does not possess for them [the
power of] provision from the heavens
and the earth at all, and [in fact], they
are unable.
74. So do not assert similarities to God. 655
Indeed, God knows and you do not
know.
75. God presents an example: a slave [who
is] owned and unable to do a thing and
he to whom We have provided from
Us good provision, so he spends from
it secretly and publicly. Can they be
equal? Praise to God! But most of them
do not know.
652 This verse was revealed before the prohibition
of intoxicants. It alludes to the fact that there are
both evil and good possibilities in certain things.
653 i.e., delicious substances found by the bee.
6s4 'phg argument presented in this verse is: if they
cannot consider their own possessions equal to
themselves, then how can they consider God's
creations as being equal to Him?
655 As there is nothing comparable to Him.
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76. And God presents an example of two 82.
men, one of them dumb and unable to
do a thing, while he is a burden to his
guardian. Wherever he directs him, he
brings no good. Is he equal to one who 83.
commands justice, while he is on a
straight path?
77. And to God belongs the unseen [as- 84.
pects] of the heavens and the earth.
And the command for the Hour is not
but as a glance of the eye or even near-
er. Indeed, God is over all things com-
petent.
But if they turn away, [O Muhammad] -
then only upon you is [responsibility
for] clear notification.
They recogni2e the favor of God; then
they deny it. And most of them are dis-
believers.
And [mention] the Day when We will
resurrect from every nation a witness
[i.e., their prophet]. Then it will not be
permitted to the disbelievers [to apo-
logi2e or make excuses], nor will they
be asked to appease [God].
78. And God has extracted you from the
wombs of your mothers not knowing a
thing, and He made for you hearing
and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect] that
perhaps you would be grateful.
79. Do they not see the birds controlled in
the atmosphere of the sky? None holds
them up except God. Indeed in that are
signs for a people who believe.
80. And God has made for you from your
homes a place of rest and made for you
from the hides of the animals tents
which you find light on your day of tra-
vel and your day of encampment; and
from their wool, fur and hair is furnish-
ing and enjoyment [i.e., provision] for a
time.
81. And God has made for you, from that
which He has created, shadows [i.e.,
shade] and has made for you from the
mountains, shelters and has made for
you garments which protect you from
the heat and garments [i.e., coats of
mail] which protect you from your
[enemy in] batde. Thus does He com-
plete His favor upon you that you
might submit [to Him] .
85. And when those who wronged see the
punishment, it will not be lightened for
them, nor will they be reprieved.
86. And when those who associated others
with God see their "partners," they will
say, "Our Lord, these are our partners
[to You] whom we used to invoke be-
sides You." But they will throw at them
the statement, "Indeed, you are liars."
87. And they will impart to God that Day
[their] submission, and lost from them
is what they used to invent.
88. Those who disbelieved and averted
[others] from the way of God - We will
increase them in punishment over
[their] punishment for what corruption
they were causing.
89. And [mention] the Day when We will
resurrect among every nation a witness
over them from themselves [i.e., their
prophet]. And We will bring you, [O
Muhammad], as a witness over these
[i.e., your nation]. And We have sent
down to you the Book as clarification
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for all things and as guidance and mer-
cy and good tidings for the Muslims. 656
90. Indeed, God orders justice and good
conduct and giving to relatives and for-
bids immorality and bad conduct and
oppression. He admonishes you that
perhaps you will be reminded.
91. And fulfill the covenant of God when
you have taken it, [O believers], and do
not break oaths after their confirmation
while you have made God, over you, a
security [i.e., witness]. Indeed, God
knows what you do.
92. And do not be like she who untwisted
her spun thread after it was strong [by]
taking your oaths as [means of] deceit
between you because one community is
more plentiful [in number or wealth]
than another community. 657 God only
tries you thereby. And He will surely
make clear to you on the Day of Resur-
rection that over which you used to dif-
fer.
93. And if God had willed, He could have
made you [of] one religion, but He
causes to stray whom He wills and
guides whom He wills. 658 And you will
surely be questioned about what you
used to do.
94. And do not take your oaths as [means
of] deceit between you, lest a foot slip
after it was [once] firm, and you would
taste evil [in this world] for what
[people] you diverted from the way of
656 Those who have submitted themselves to
God.
657 i.e., do not swear falsely or break a treaty or
contract merely for a worldly advantage.
658 According to His knowledge of each soul's
preference.
God, 659 and you would have [in the He-
reafter] a great punishment.
95. And do not exchange the covenant of
God for a small price. Indeed, what is
with God is best for you, if only you
could know.
96. Whatever you have will end, but what
God has is lasting. And We will surely
give those who were patient their re-
ward according to the best of what they
used to do.
97. Whoever does righteousness, whether
male or female, while he is a believer -
We will surely cause him to live a good
life, and We will surely give them their
reward [in the Hereafter] according to
the best of what they used to do.
98. So when you recite the Qur'an, [first]
seek refuge in God from Satan, the ex-
pelled [from His mercy] .
99. Indeed, there is for him no authority
over those who have believed and rely
upon their Lord.
100. His authority is only over those who
take him as an ally and those who
through him associate others with God.
101. And when We substitute a verse in
place of a verse - and God is most
knowing of what He sends down - they
say, "You, [O Muhammad], are but an
inventor [of lies]." But most of them
do not know.
102. Say, [O Muhammad], "The Pure Spirit
[i.e., Gabriel] has brought it down from
your Lord in truth to make firm those
659 Referring to those who would be dissuaded
from Islam as a result of a Muslim's deceit and
treachery.
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who believe and as guidance and good
tidings to the Muslims."
103. And We certainly know that they say,
"It is only a human being who teaches
him [i.e., the Prophet]." The tongue of
the one they refer to is foreign, 660 and
this [recitation i.e., Qur'an] is [in] a clear
Arabic language.
1 04. Indeed, those who do not believe in the
verses of God - God will not guide
them, and for them is a painful pu-
nishment.
105. They only invent falsehood who do not
believe in the verses of God, and it is
those who are the liars.
106. Whoever disbelieves in [i.e., denies]
God after his belief. . . 661 except for one
who is forced [to renounce his religion]
while his heart is secure in faith. But
those who [willingly] open their breasts
to disbelief, upon them is wrath from
God, and for them is a great punish-
ment;
107. That is because they preferred the
worldly life over the Hereafter and that
God does not guide the disbelieving
people.
108. Those are the ones over whose hearts
and hearing and vision God has sealed,
and it is those who are the heedless.
109. Assuredly, it is they, in the Hereafter,
who will be the losers.
660 Having seen the Prophet speaking with a for-
eign man on occasion, the Quraysh accused him
of repeating the man's words.
661 Based upon the conclusion of this verse, the
omitted phrase concerning the apostate is unders-
tood to be ". . .has earned the wrath of God. . ."
110. Then, indeed your Lord, to those who
emigrated after they had been com-
pelled [to renounce their religion] and
thereafter fought [for the cause of God]
and were patient - indeed, your Lord,
after that, is Forgiving and Merciful
111. On the Day when every soul will come
disputing [i.e., pleading] for itself, and
every soul will be fully compensated for
what it did, and they will not be
wronged [i.e., treated unjusdy],
112. And God presents an example: a city
[i.e., Makkah] which was safe and se-
cure, its provision coming to it in ab-
undance from every location, but it de-
nied the favors of God. So God made
it taste the envelopment of hunger and
fear for what they had been doing.
113. And there had certainly come to them a
Messenger from among themselves, but
they denied him; so punishment over-
took them while they were wrongdoers.
114. Then eat of what God has provided for
you [which is] lawful and good. And be
grateful for the favor of God, if it is
[indeed] Him that you worship.
115. He has only forbidden to you dead an-
imals, 662 blood, the flesh of swine, and
that which has been dedicated to other
than God. But whoever is forced [by
necessity], neither desiring [it] nor
transgressing [its limit] - then indeed,
God is Forgiving and Merciful.
116. And do not say about what your ton-
gues assert of untruth, "This is lawful
and this is unlawful," to invent false-
hood about God. Indeed, those who
662 Those not slaughtered or hunted expressly for
food.
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invent falsehood about God will not
succeed.
117. [It is but] a brief enjoyment, and they
will have a painful punishment.
118. And to those who are Jews We have
prohibited that which We related to
you before. 663 And We did not wrong
them [thereby], but they were wronging
themselves.
119. Then, indeed your Lord, to those who
have done wrong out of ignorance and
then repent after that and correct
themselves - indeed, your Lord, the-
reafter, is Forgiving and Merciful.
120. Indeed, Abraham was a [comprehen-
sive] leader, 664 devoudy obedient to
God, inclining toward truth, and he was
not of those who associate others with
God.
125. Invite to the way of your Lord with
wisdom and good instruction, and ar-
gue with them in a way that is best. In-
deed, your Lord is most knowing of
who has strayed from His way, and He
is most knowing of who is [rightly]
guided.
126. And if you punish [an enemy, O believ-
ers], punish with an equivalent of that
with which you were harmed. 665 But if
you are patient - it is better for those
who are patient.
127. And be patient, [O Muhammad], and
your patience is not but through God.
And do not grieve over them and do
not be in distress over what they con-
spire.
128. Indeed, God is with those who fear
Him and those who are doers of good.
121. [He was] grateful for His favors. He
[i.e., God] chose him and guided him to
a straight path.
122. And We gave him good in this world,
and indeed, in the Hereafter he will be
among the righteous.
123. Then We revealed to you, [O Muham-
mad], to follow the religion of Abra-
ham, inclining toward truth; and he was
not of those who associate with God.
124. The sabbath was only appointed for
those who differed over it. And indeed,
your Lord will judge between them on
the Day of Resurrection concerning
that over which they used to differ.
663 See 6:146.
664 i.e., embodying all the excellent qualities which
make one an example to be followed.
665 Not exceeding it.
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Surah 17: al-Isra'
Period of Revelation
The very first verse indicates that this Surah was revealed on the occasion of Miraj (Ascension). According to
the hadith and books on the life of the Prophet this event happened one year before Hijrah. Thus this Surah
is one of those which were revealed in the last stage of Prophethood at Makkah.
Background
The Prophet had been propagating Tawhid (Oneness of God) for the previous twelve years and his oppo-
nents had been doing all they could to make his Mission a failure but in spite of all their opposition Islam
had spread to every corner of Arabia and there was hardly any clan which had not been influenced by his
invitation. In Makkah itself the true Believers had formed themselves into a small community and were ready
and willing to face every danger to make Islam a success. Besides them a very large number of the people of
Aws and Khazraj (two influential clans of Madinah) had accepted Islam. Thus the time had come for the
Prophet to emigrate from Makkah to Madinah and there gather together the scattered Muslims and establish
a state based on the principles of Islam.
Theme and Topics
This Surah is a wonderful combination of warning, admonition and instruction which have been blended
together in a balanced proportion. The disbelievers of Makkah had been admonished to take a lesson from
the miserable end of the Israelites and other communities and mend their ways within the period of respite
given by God, which was about to expire. They should therefore accept the invitation that was being ex-
tended by Muhammad and the Qur'an; otherwise they shall be annihilated and replaced by other people.
Incidentally the Israelites with whom Islam was going to come in direct contact with in the near future at
Madinah have also been warned that they should learn a lesson from the chastisements that have already
been inflicted on them. They were warned to take advantage of the Prophethood of Muhammad because
that is the last opportunity which is being given to them. If even now you behave as you have been behaving
you shall meet with a painful torment.
As regards the education of mankind it has been stressed that human success or failure gain or loss depends
upon the right understanding of Tawhid, life-after-death and Prophethood. Accordingly, convincing argu-
ments have been put forward to prove that the Qur'an is the Book of God and its teachings are true and
genuine. The doubts of the disbelievers about these basic realities have been removed and on suitable occa-
sions they have been admonished and rebuked in regard to their ways of ignorance.
In this connection those fundamental principles of morality and civilization on which the Islamic System of
life is meant to be established have been put forward. Thus this was a sort of the Manifesto of the intended
Islamic state which had been proclaimed a year before its actual establishment. It has been explicitly stated
that that was the sketch of the system on which Prophet Muhammad intended to build human life, first in
his own country and then in the outside world. Besides these the Prophet has been instructed to stick firmly
to his stance without minding the opposition and difficulties which he was encountering and should never
think of making a compromise with unbelief. Moreover, Salat (prayer) was prescribed in order to reform and
purify their souls as if to say, this is the thing which will produce in you those high qualities of character
which are essential for everyone who intends to struggle in the righteous way. Incidentally we learn from
hadith that M'raj was the first occasion on which the five daily Prayers were prescribed to be offered at fixed
times.
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Surah 17: al-Isra' 666
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
Then We gave back to you a return
victory over them. And We reinforced
you with wealth and sons and made
you more numerous in manpower
1. Exalted 667 is He who took His Servant
[i.e., Prophet Muhammad] by night
from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid
al-Aqsa, 668 whose surroundings We
have blessed, to show him of Our
signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the
Seeing.
2. And We gave Moses the Scripture and
made it a guidance for the Children of
Israel that you not take other than Me
as Disposer of affairs, 669
3. O descendants of those We carried [in
the ship] with Noah. Indeed, he was a
grateful servant.
4. And We conveyed 670 to the Children of
Israel in the Scripture that, "You will
surely cause corruption on the earth
twice, and you will surely reach [a de-
gree of] great haughtiness."
5. So when the [time of] promise came for
the first of them, 671 We sent against you
servants of Ours - those of great mili-
tary might, and they probed [even] into
the homes, 672 and it was a promise ful-
filled.
666 sAl-Isra: The Night Journey. The Surah is also
known as Bani Isrd'eel (The Children of Israel).
667 Above any imperfection or failure to do as He
wills.
668 In Jerusalem.
669 i.e., trust in God, knowing that He is responsi-
ble for every occurrence.
670 Foretold out of divine knowledge of what they
would do.
671 i.e., the promised punishment for the first of
their two transgressions.
672 Violating their sanctity, to kill and plunder.
7. [And said], "If you do good, you do
good for yourselves; and if you do evil,
[you do it] to them [i.e., yourselves]."
Then when the final [i.e., second]
promise came, [We sent your enemies]
to sadden your faces and to enter the
masjid [i.e., the temple in Jerusalem], as
they entered it the first time, and to de-
stroy what they had taken over with
[total] destruction.
8. [Then God said], "It is expected, [if you
repent], that your Lord will have mercy
upon you. But if you return [to sin], We
will return [to punishment]. And We
have made Hell, for the disbelievers, a
prison-bed."
9. Indeed, this Qur'an guides to that
which is most suitable and gives good
tidings to the believers who do righ-
teous deeds that they will have a great
reward.
10. And that those who do not believe in
the Hereafter - We have prepared for
them a painful punishment.
11. And man supplicates for evil [when
angry] as he supplicates for good, and
man is ever hasty. 673
12. And We have made the night and day
two signs, and We erased the sign of
the night and made the sign of the day
visible 674 that you may seek bounty
from your Lord and may know the
number of years and the account [of
673 i.e., impatient, emotional, and acting without
forethought.
674 Q r "giving sight."
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time]. And everything We have set out
in detail.
13. And [for] every person We have im-
posed his fate upon his neck, 675 and We
will produce for him on the Day of Re-
surrection a record which he will en-
counter spread open.
14. [It will be said], "Read your record. Suf-
ficient is yourself against you this Day
as accountant."
15. Whoever is guided is only guided for
[the benefit of] his soul. And whoever
errs only errs against it. And no bearer
of burdens will bear the burden of
another. And never would We punish
until We sent a messenger.
16. And when We intend to destroy a city,
We command its affluent 676 but they
defiandy disobey therein; so the word
[i.e., deserved decree] comes into effect
upon it, and We destroy it with [com-
plete] destruction.
17. And how many have We destroyed
from the generations after Noah. And
sufficient is your Lord, concerning the
sins of His servants, as Acquainted and
Seeing.
18. Whoever should desire the imme-
diate 677 - We hasten for him from it
what We will to whom We intend.
Then We have made for him Hell,
which he will [enter to] burn, censured
and banished.
19. But whoever desires the Hereafter and
exerts the effort due to it while he is a
675 i.e., after having instructed him, We have made
him responsible for his own destiny.
676 To obey God.
677 i.e., worldly gratifications.
believer - it is those whose effort is ever
appreciated [by God] .
20. To each [category] We extend - to these
and to those - from the gift of your
Lord. And never has the gift of your
Lord been restricted.
21. Look how We have favored [in provi-
sion] some of them over others. But
the Hereafter is greater in degrees [of
difference] and greater in distinction.
22. Do not make [as equal] with God
another deity and [thereby] become
censured and forsaken.
23. And your Lord has decreed that you
not worship except Him, and to par-
ents, good treatment. Whether one or
both of them reach old age [while] with
you, say not to them [so much as],
"uff," 678 and do not repel them but
speak to them a noble word.
24. And lower to them the wing of humility
out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have
mercy upon them as they brought me
up [when I was] small."
25. Your Lord is most knowing of what is
within yourselves. If you should be
righteous [in intention] - then indeed
He is ever, to the often returning [to
Him], Forgiving. 679
26. And give the relative his right, and [al-
so] the poor and the traveler, and do
not spend wastefully. 680
678 An expression of disapproval or irritation.
679 p or those who intend righteousness, hastening
to repent from sins and errors committed
through human weakness, God promises for-
giveness.
680 i.e., on that which is unlawful or in disobe-
dience to God.
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27. Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the
devils, and ever has Satan been to his
Lord ungrateful.
28. And if you [must] turn away from them
[i.e., the needy] awaiting mercy from
your Lord which you expect, 681 then
speak to them a gentle word.
29. And do not make your hand [as]
chained to your neck 682 or extend it
completely 683 and [thereby] become
blamed and insolvent.
30. Indeed, your Lord extends provision
for whom He wills and restricts [it]. In-
deed He is ever, concerning His ser-
vants, Acquainted and Seeing.
31. And do not kill your children for fear
of poverty. We provide for them and
for you. Indeed, their killing is ever a
great sin.
32. And do not approach unlawful sexual
intercourse. 684 Indeed, it is ever an im-
morality and is evil as a way.
33. And do not kill the soul [i.e., person]
which God has forbidden, except by
right. 685 And whoever is killed unjustly -
We have given his heir authority, 686 but
let him not exceed limits in [the matter
of] taking life. Indeed, he has been
supported [by the law] .
34. And do not approach the property of
an orphan, except in the way that is
681 i.e., if you have not the means to give them at
present.
682 i.e., refusing to spend.
683 i.e., being extravagant.
684 i.e., avoid all situations that might possibly lead
to it.
685 i.e., through legal justice or duimgjihdd,
686 Grounds for legal action.
best, 687 until he reaches maturity. And
fulfill [every] commitment. Indeed, the
commitment is ever [that about which
one will be] questioned.
35. And give full measure when you meas-
ure, and weigh with an even [i.e., hon-
est] balance. That is the best [way] and
best in result.
36. And do not pursue 688 that of which you
have no knowledge. Indeed, the hear-
ing, the sight and the heart - about all
those [one] will be questioned.
37. And do not walk upon the earth exul-
tantly. Indeed, you will never tear the
earth [apart], and you will never reach
the mountains in height. 689
38. All that [i.e., the aforementioned] - its
evil is ever, in the sight of your Lord,
detested.
39. That is from what your Lord has re-
vealed to you, [O Muhammad], of wis-
dom. And, [O mankind], do not make
[as equal] with God another deity, lest
you be thrown into Hell, blamed and
banished.
40. Then, has your Lord chosen you for
[having] sons and taken [i.e., adopted]
from among the angels daughters? In-
deed, you say a grave saying.
41. And We have certainly diversified [the
contents] in this Qur'an that they [i.e.,
mankind] may be reminded, but it does
not increase them [i.e., the disbelievers]
except in aversion.
68 ' i.e., to improve or increase it.
688 i.e., do not assume and do not say.
689 Man, for all his arrogance, is yet a weak and
small creature.
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42. Say, [O Muhammad], "If there had
been with Him [other] gods, as they
say, then they [each] would have sought
to the Owner of the Throne a way." 690
43. Exalted is He and high above what they
say by great sublimity.
44. The seven heavens and the earth and
whatever is in them exalt Him. And
there is not a thing except that it exalts
[God] by His praise, but you do not
understand their [way of] exalting. In-
deed, He is ever Forbearing and For-
giving.
45. And when you recite the Qur'an, We
put between you and those who do not
believe in the Hereafter a concealed
partition. 691
46. And We have placed over their hearts
coverings, lest they understand it, and
in their ears deafness. And when you
mention your Lord alone in the Qur'an,
they turn back in aversion.
47. We are most knowing of how they lis-
ten to it when they listen to you and
[of] when they are in private conversa-
tion, when the wrongdoers say, "You
follow not but a man affected by mag-
ic."
48. Look how they strike for you compari-
sons; 692 but they have strayed, so they
cannot [find] a way.
49. And they say, "When we are bones and
crumbled particles, will we [truly] be re-
surrected as a new creation?"
690 To please Him, recognizing His superiority.
Another interpretation is "...they would seek a
way" to depose Him and take over His Throne.
691 Preventing guidance from reaching them.
692 Describing the Prophet as a poet, a madman
or one under the influence of sorcery.
50. Say, "Be you stones or iron 693
51. Or [any] creation of that which is
great 694 within your breasts." And they
will say, "Who will restore us?" Say,
"He who brought you forth the first
time." Then they will nod their heads
toward you 695 and say, "When is that?"
Say, "Perhaps it will be soon -
52. On the Day He will call you and you
will respond with praise of Him and
think that you had not remained [in the
world] except for a little."
53. And tell My servants to say that which
is best. Indeed, Satan induces [dissen-
sion] among them. Indeed Satan is ev-
er, to mankind, a clear enemy.
54. Your Lord is most knowing of you. If
He wills, He will have mercy upon you;
or if He wills, He will punish you. And
We have not sent you, [O Muhammad] ,
over them as a manager.
55. And your Lord is most knowing of
whoever is in the heavens and the
earth. And We have made some of the
prophets exceed others [in various
ways], and to David We gave the book
[of Psalms].
56. Say, "Invoke those you have claimed
[as gods] besides Him, for they do not
possess the [ability for] removal of ad-
versity from you or [for its] transfer [to
someone else]."
57. Those whom they invoke 696 seek means
of access to their Lord, [striving as to]
which of them would be nearest, and
693 i.e., even if you should be stones or iron.
694 Such as the heavens and earth.
695 In disbelief and ridicule.
696 Among the righteous of God's creation, such
as angels, prophets, deceased scholars, etc.
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17: The Night Journey
they hope for His mercy and fear His
punishment. Indeed, the punishment of
your Lord is ever feared.
58. And there is no city but that We will
destroy it 697 before the Day of Resur-
rection or punish it with a severe pu-
nishment. That has ever been in the
Register 698 inscribed.
59. And nothing has prevented Us from
sending signs [i.e., miracles] except that
the former peoples denied them. And
We gave Thamud the she-camel as a
visible sign, but they wronged her. And
We send not the signs except as a warn-
ing.
60. And [remember, O Muhammad], when
We told you, "Indeed, your Lord has
encompassed the people." 699 And We
did not make the sight which We
showed you 700 except as a trial for the
people, as was the accursed tree [men-
tioned] in the Qur'an. And We threaten
[i.e., warn] them, but it increases them
not except in great transgression.
61. And [mention] when We said to the
angles, "Prostrate to Adam," and they
prostrated, except for Iblees. 701 He said,
"Should I prostrate to one You created
from clay?"
62. [Iblees] said, "Do You see this one
whom You have honoured above me?
If You delay me [i.e., my death] until
the Day of Resurrection, I will surely
697 Because of the sins of its inhabitants.
698 The Preserved Slate {al-Lawh al-Mahjutti),
which is with God.
699 In His knowledge and power, meaning that
God would protect him from their harm.
700 During the mi'rdj (ascension) into the heavens.
701 See footnote to 2:34.
destroy 702 his descendants, except for a
few."
63. [God] said, "Go, for whoever of them
follows you, indeed Hell will be the re-
compense of [all of] you - an ample re-
compense.
64. And incite [to senselessness] whoever
you can among them with your voice
and assault them with your horses and
foot soldiers and become a partner in
their wealth and their children and
promise them." But Satan does not
promise them except delusion.
65. Indeed, over My [believing] servants
there is for you no authority. And suffi-
cient is your Lord as Disposer of af-
fairs.
66. It is your Lord who drives the ship for
you through the sea that you may seek
of His bounty. Indeed, He is ever, to
you, Merciful.
67. And when adversity touches you at sea,
lost are [all] those you invoke except
for Him. But when He delivers you to
the land, you turn away [from Him],
And ever is man ungrateful.
68. Then do you feel secure that [instead]
He will not cause a part of the land to
swallow you or send against you a
storm of stones? Then you would not
find for yourselves an advocate.
69. Or do you feel secure that He will not
send you back into it [i.e., the sea]
another time and send upon you a hur-
ricane of wind and drown you for what
you denied? 703 Then you would not
702 By tempting them and leading them astray.
703 Q r "f or y 0ur disbelief."
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17: The Night Journey
find for yourselves against Us an aven-
main [there] after you, except for a lit-
tle. 707
70. And We have certainly honoured the
children of Adam and carried them on
the land and sea and provided for them
of the good things and preferred them
over much of what We have created,
with [definite] preference.
71. [Mention, O Muhammad], the Day We
will call forth every people with their
record [of deeds]. 705 Then whoever is
given his record in his right hand -
those will read their records, and injus-
tice will not be done to them, [even] as
much as a thread [inside the date seed] .
72. And whoever is blind 706 in this [life] will
be blind in the Hereafter and more as-
tray in way.
73. And indeed, they were about to tempt
you away from that which We revealed
to you in order to [make] you invent
about Us something else; and then they
would have taken you as a friend.
74. And if We had not strengthened you,
you would have almost inclined to
them a little.
75. Then [if you had], We would have
made you taste double [punishment in]
life and double [after] death. Then you
would not find for yourself against Us a
helper.
76. And indeed, they were about to pro-
voke [i.e., drive] you from the land [i.e.,
Makkah] to evict you therefrom. And
then [when they do], they will not re-
704 Q r "someone to demand restitution."
705 Other meanings are "with their leader" or
"with that which they had followed."
706 i.e., refusing to see the truth.
77. [That is Our] established way for those
We had sent before you of Our mes-
sengers; and you will not find in Our
way any alteration.
78. Establish prayer at the decline of the
sun [from its meridian] until the dark-
ness of the night 708 and [also] the
Qur'an [i.e., recitation] of dawn. 709 In-
deed, the recitation of dawn is ever
witnessed.
79. And from [part of] the night, pray 710
with it [i.e., recitation of the Qur'an] as
additional [worship] for you; it is ex-
pected that 711 your Lord will resurrect
you to a praised station. 712
80. And say, "My Lord, cause me to enter a
sound entrance 713 and to exit a sound
exit 714 and grant me from Yourself a
supporting authority."
81. And say, "Truth has come, and false-
hood has departed. Indeed is falsehood,
[by nature], ever bound to depart."
82. And We send down of the Qur'an that
which is healing and mercy for the be-
707 Only ten years after the Prophet's emigration,
Makkah was completely cleared of his enemies.
708 i.e., the period which includes the thuhr, asr,
maghrib, and 'ishd prayers.
709 i.e., the fajr prayer, in which the recitation of
the Qur'an is prolonged.
710 Literally, "arise from sleep for prayer."
711 This is a promise from God to the Prophet
Muhammad.
712 The position of intercession by permission of
God and the highest degree in Paradise.
713 Into Madinah at the time of emigration, or
into the grave.
714 From Makkah, or from the grave at the time
of resurrection.
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17: The Night Journey
83.
84.
85.
86.
87.
89.
90.
91.
lievers, but it does not increase the
wrongdoers except in loss.
And when We bestow favor upon man
[i.e., the disbeliever], he turns away and
distances himself; and when evil touch-
es him, he is ever despairing.
Say, "Each works according to his
manner, but your Lord is most know-
ing of who is best guided in way."
And they ask you, [O Muhammad],
about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the
affair [i.e., concern] of my Lord. And
you [i.e., mankind] have not been given
of knowledge except a litde."
And if We willed, We could surely do
away with that which We revealed to
you. Then you would not find for your-
self concerning it an advocate against
Us.
Except [We have left it with you] as a
mercy from your Lord. Indeed, His fa-
vor upon you has ever been great.
Say, "If mankind and the jinn gathered
in order to produce the like of this
Qur'an, they could not produce the like
of it, even if they were to each other as-
sistants."
And We have certainly diversified for
the people in this Qur'an from every
[kind of] example, but most of the
people refused [anything] except disbe-
lief.
And they say, "We will not believe you
until you break open for us from the
ground a spring
Or [until] you have a garden of palm
tress and grapes and make rivers gush
forth within them in force [and abun-
dance]
92. Or you make the heaven fall upon us in
fragments as you have claimed or you
bring God and the angels before [us]
93. Or you have a house of ormnament
[i.e., gold] or you ascend into the sky.
And [even then], we will not believe in
your ascension until you bring down to
us a book we may read." Say, "Exalted
is my Lord! Was I ever but a human
messenger?"
94. And what prevented the people from
believing when guidance came to them
except that they said, "Has God sent a
human messenger?"
95. Say, "If there were upon the earth an-
gels walking securely, 715 We would have
sent down to them from the heaven an
angel [as a] messenger."
96. Say, "Sufficient is God as Witness be-
tween me and you. Indeed he is ever,
concerning His servants, Acquainted
and Seeing."
97. And whoever God guides - he is the
[rightly] guided; and whoever He sends
astray 716 - you will never find for them
protectors besides Him, and We will
gather them on the Day of Resurrec-
tion [fallen] on their faces - blind, dumb
and deaf. Their refuge is Hell; every
time it subsides We increase them in
bla2ing fire.
98. That is their recompense because they
disbelieved in Our verses and said,
"When we are bones and crumbled
715 i.e., who were settled and established there, as
is man.
716 As a result of his own preference.
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particles, will we [truly] be resurrected
[in] a new creation?"
99. Do they not see that God, who created
the heavens and earth, is [the one] Able
to create the likes of them? And He has
appointed for them a term, about
which there is no doubt. But the
wrongdoers refuse [anything] except
disbelief.
100. Say [to them], "If you possessed the
depositories of the mercy of my Lord,
then you would withhold out of fear of
spending." And ever has man been
stingy.
101. And We had certainly given Moses nine
evident signs, so ask the Children of
Israel [about] when he came to them
and Pharaoh said to him, "Indeed I
think, O Moses, that you are affected
by magic."
102. [Moses] said, "You have already known
that none has sent down these [signs]
except the Lord of the heavens and the
earth as evidence, and indeed I think, 717
O Pharaoh, that you are destroyed."
103. So he intended to drive them from the
land, but We drowned him and those
with him all together.
104. And We said after him [i.e., Pharaoh] to
the Children of Israel, "Dwell in the
land, and when there comes the prom-
ise [i.e., appointment] of the Hereafter,
We will bring you forth in [one] gather-
ing."
you, [O Muhammad], except as a brin-
ger of good tidings and a warner.
106. And [it is] a Qur'an which We have
separated [by intervals] that you might
recite it to the people over a prolonged
period. And We have sent it down pro-
gressively.
107. Say, "Believe in it or do not believe.
Indeed, those who were given know-
ledge before it 718 - when it is recited to
them, they fall upon their faces in pro-
stration,
108. And they say, "Exalted is our Lord!
Indeed, the promise of our Lord has
been fulfilled."
109. And they fall upon their faces weeping,
and it [i.e., the Qur'an] increases them
in humble submission.
110. Say, "Call upon God or call upon the
Most Merciful. [al-Rahman], Whichever
[name] you call - to Him belong the
best names." And do not recite [too]
loudly in your prayer or [too] quietly
but seek between that an [intermediate]
way.
111. And say, "Praise to God, who has not
taken a son and has had no partner in
[His] dominion and has no [need of a]
protector out of weakness; and glorify
Him with [great] glorification."
105. And with the truth We have sent it [i.e.,
the Qur'an] down, and with the truth it
has descended. And We have not sent
' i.e., I am certain.
718 i.e., the righteous among the People of the
Scriptures who recognize the truth contained in
the Qur'an.
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Surah 18: al-Kahf
Period of Revelation
This is the first of those Surahs which were sent down in the third stage of Prophethood at Makkah. We
have already divided the life of the Prophet at Makkah into four stages in the introduction to Surah 6. Ac-
cording to that division the third stage lasted from the fifth to the tenth year of Prophethood. What distin-
guishes this stage from the second and the fourth stages is this: during the second stage the Quraysh mainly
resorted to ridiculing, scoffing, threatening, tempting, raising objections and making false propaganda against
the Prophet and his followers in order to suppress the Islamic Movement. But during the third stage they
employed the weapons of persecution, man handling and economic pressure for the same purpose. So much
so that a large number of the Muslims had to emigrate from Arabia to Abassinyah and those who remained
behind were besieged in Shi'ib Abi Talib along with the Prophet and his family. To add to their misery a
complete social and economic boycott was applied against them. The only redeeming feature was that there
were two personalities, Abu Talib and Khadijah whose personal influence had been conducive to the support
of two great families of the Quraysh. However when in the tenth year of Prophethood these two persons
died the fourth stage began with such severe persecutions as forced the Prophet and all his Companions to
emigrate from Makkah.
It appears from the theme of the Surah that it was revealed at the beginning of the third stage when in spite
of persecutions and opposition the migration to Abassinyah had not yet taken place. That is why the story of
"Ashab-e-Kahf ' (the Sleepers of the Cave) has been related to comfort and encourage the persecuted Mus-
lims and to show them how the righteous people have been saving their Faith in the past.
Subject and Topics
This Surah was sent down in answer to the three questions which the polytheists of Makkah in consultation
with the people of the Book had put to the Prophet in order to test him. These were:
1. Who were "the Sleepers of the Cave?"
2. What is the real story of Khidr? and
3. What do you know about Dhul-Qarnain?
As these three questions and the stories involved concerned the history of the Christians and the Jews and
were unknown in Hijaz (Arabian Peninsula) a choice of these was made to test whether the Prophet pos-
sessed any source of the knowledge of the hidden and unseen things. God however not only gave a complete
answer to their questions but also employed the three stories to the disadvantage of the opponents of Islam
in the conflict that was going on at that time in Makkah between Islam and unbelief.
The questioners were told that "the Sleepers of the Cave" believed in the same doctrine of Tawhid (Oneness
of God) which was being put forward in the Qur'an and that their condition was similar to the condition of
the persecuted Muslims of Makkah. On the other hand the persecutors of the Sleepers of the Cave had be-
haved in the same way towards them as the disbelievers of the Quraysh were behaving towards the Muslims.
The story of the Sleepers of the Cave has also been used to warn the chiefs of Makkah who were persecuting
the small newly formed Muslim Community. At the same time the Prophet has been instructed that under no
circumstances should he make a compromise with their persecutors nor should he consider them to be more
important than his poor followers. On the other hand those chiefs have been admonished that they should
not be puffed up with the transitory life of pleasure they were then enjoying but should seek after those ex-
cellences which are permanent and eternal.
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1 8: The Cave
Surah 18: al-Kahf 719
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. [All] praise is [due] to God, who has
sent down upon His Servant [Muham-
mad] the Book and has not made there-
in any deviance. 720
2. [He has made it] straight, to warn of
severe punishment from Him and to
give good tidings to the believers who
do righteous deeds that they will have a
good reward [i.e., Paradise]
3. In which they will remain forever
4. And to warn those who say, "God has
taken a son."
5. They have no knowledge of it, 721 nor
had their fathers. Grave is the word that
comes out of their mouths; they speak
not except a lie.
6. Then perhaps you would kill yourself
through grief over them, [O Muham-
mad], if they do not believe in this mes-
sage, [and] out of sorrow.
7. Indeed, We have made that which is on
the earth adornment for it that We may
test them [as to] which of them is best
in deed.
8. And indeed, We will make that which is
upon it [into] a barren ground.
719 Al-Kahf. The Cave.
720 p r om the truth or the straight path.
721 i.e., they could not have had knowledge of
something which is not true.
9. Or have you thought that the compa-
nions of the cave and the inscription
were, among Our signs, a wonder? 722
10. [Mention] when the youths retreated to
the cave and said, "Our Lord, grant us
from Yourself mercy and prepare for us
from our affair right guidance."
11. So We cast [a cover of sleep] over their
ears within the cave for a number of
years.
12. Then We awakened them that We
might show which of the two factions
was most precise in calculating what
[extent] they had remained in time.
13. It is We who relate to you, [O Mu-
hammad], their story in truth. Indeed,
they were youths who believed in their
Lord, and We increased them in guid-
ance.
14. And We bound [i.e., made firm] their
hearts when they stood up and said,
"Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens
and the earth. Never will we invoke be-
sides Him any deity. We would have
certainly spoken, then, an excessive
transgression.
15. These, our people, have taken besides
Him deities. Why do they not bring for
[worship of] them a clear authority?
And who is more unjust than one who
invents about God a lie?"
16. [The youths said to one another], "And
when you have withdrawn from them
and that which they worship other than
God, retreat to the cave. Your Lord will
spread out for you of His mercy and
722 Rather, it is only one of the many wonders of
God.
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1 8: The Cave
will prepare for you from your affair fa-
cility."
17. And [had you been present], you would
see the sun when it rose, inclining away
from their cave on the right, and when
it set, passing away from them on the
left, while they were Paying] within an
open space thereof. That was from the
signs of God. He whom God guides is
the [rightly] guided, but he whom He
leaves astray - never will you find for
him a protecting guide.
18. And you would think them awake,
while they were asleep. And We turned
them to the right and to the left, while
their dog stretched his forelegs at the
entrance. If you had looked at them,
you would have turned from them in
flight and been filled by them with ter-
ror.
19. And similarly, 723 We awakened them
that they might question one another.
Said a speaker from among them,
"How long have you remained [here]?"
They said, "We have remained a day or
part of a day." They said, "Your Lord is
most knowing of how long you re-
mained. So send one of you with this
silver coin of yours to the city and let
him look to which is the best of food
and bring you provision from it and let
him be cautious. And let no one be
aware of you.
20. Indeed, if they come to know of you,
they will stone you or return you to
their religion. And never would you
succeed, then - ever."
21. And similarly, We caused them to be
found that they [who found them]
would know that the promise of God is
1 By the will of God.
truth and that of the Hour there is no
doubt. [That was] when they 724 disputed
among themselves about their affair
and [then] said, "Construct over them a
structure. Their Lord is most knowing
about them." Said those who prevailed
in the matter, "We will surely take [for
ourselves] over them a masjid." 725
22. They [i.e., people] will say there were
three, the fourth of them being their
dog; and they will say there were five,
the sixth of them being their dog -
guessing at the unseen; and they will say
there were seven, and the eighth of
them was their dog. Say, [O Muham-
mad], "My Lord is most knowing of
their number. None knows them except
a few. So do not argue about them ex-
cept with an obvious argument 726 and
do not inquire about them among [the
speculators] from anyone."
23. And never say of anything, "Indeed, I
will do that tomorrow,"
24. Except [when adding], "If God wills."
And remember your Lord when you
forget [it] and say, "Perhaps my Lord
will guide me to what is nearer than this
to right conduct."
25. And they remained in their cave for
three hundred years and exceeded by
nine. 727
26. Say, "God is most knowing of how
long they remained. He has [knowledge
of] the unseen [aspects] of the heavens
and the earth. How Seeing is He and
how Hearing! They have not besides
724 The people of the city.
725 i.e., we will make this site a place of worship.
726 i.e., one from the Qur'an, which is the only
sure argument.
727 According to the lunar calendar.
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1 8: The Cave
Him any protector, and He shares not
His legislation with anyone."
27. And recite, [O Muhammad], what has
been revealed to you of the Book of
your Lord. There is no changer of His
words, and never will you find in other
than Him a refuge.
28. And keep yourself patient [by being]
with those who call upon their Lord in
the morning and the evening, seeking
His countenance. And let not your eyes
pass beyond them, desiring adornments
of the worldly life, and do not obey one
whose heart We have made heedless of
Our remembrance and who follows his
desire and whose affair is ever [in] neg-
lect. 728
29. And say, "The truth is from your Lord,
so whoever wills - let him believe; and
whoever wills - let him disbelieve." In-
deed, We have prepared for the wrong-
doers a fire whose walls will surround
them. And if they call for relief, they
will be relieved with water like murky
oil, which scalds [their] faces. Wretched
is the drink, and evil is the resting place.
30. Indeed, those who have believed and
done righteous deeds - indeed, We will
not allow to be lost the reward of any
who did well in deeds.
31. Those will have gardens of perpetual
residence; beneath them rivers will
flow. They will be adorned therein with
bracelets of gold and will wear green
garments of fine silk and brocade, rec-
lining therein on adorned couches. Ex-
cellent is the reward, and good is the
resting place.
32. And present to them an example of two
men: We granted to one of them two
gardens of grapevines, and We bor-
dered them with palm trees and placed
between them [fields of] crops.
33. Each of the two gardens produced its
fruit and did not fall short thereof in
anything. And We caused to gush forth
within them a river.
34. And he had fruit, so he said to his
companion while he was conversing
with him, "I am greater than you in
wealth and mightier in [numbers of]
men."
35. And he entered his garden while he was
unjust to himself. 729 He said, "I do not
think that this will perish - ever.
36. And I do not think the Hour will occur.
And even if I should be brought back
to my Lord, I will surely find better
than this as a return."
37. His companion said to him while he
was conversing with him, "Have you
disbelieved in He who created you from
dust and then from a sperm-drop and
then proportioned you [as] a man?
38. But as for me, He is God, my Lord, and
I do not associate with my Lord any-
one.
39. And why did you, when you entered
your garden, not say, 'What God willed
[has occurred]; there is no power except
in God'? Although you see me less than
you in wealth and children,
40. It may be that my Lord will give me
[something] better than your garden
and will send upon it a calamity from
728 Q r « m excess," exceeding the limits of God.
729 i.e., proud and ungrateful to God.
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the sky, and it will become a smooth,
dusty ground,
41. Or its water will become sunken [into
the earth], so you would never be able
to seek it."
42. And his fruits were encompassed [by
ruin], so he began to turn his hands
about [in dismay] over what he had
spent on it, while it had collapsed upon
its trellises, and said, "Oh, I wish I had
not associated with my Lord any-
one." 730
43. And there was for him no company to
aid him other than God, nor could he
defend himself.
44. There 731 the authority is [completely]
for God, the Truth. He is best in re-
ward and best in outcome.
45. And present to them the example of
the life of this world, [its being] like rain
which We send down from the sky, and
the vegetation of the earth mingles with
it 732 and [then] it becomes dry rem-
nants, scattered by the winds. And God
is ever, over all things, Perfect in Abili-
ty
46. Wealth and children are [but] adorn-
ment of the worldly life. But the endur-
ing good deeds are better to your
Lord 733 for reward and better for [one's]
hope.
47. And [warn of] the Day when We will
remove the mountains and you will see
730 He attributed his property to himself rather
that to God and disbelieved in the account of the
Hereafter.
731 i.e., at such a time or on the Day of Judge-
ment.
732 Absorbs it, growing lush and thick.
733 i.e., in His sight or evaluation.
the earth prominent, 734 and We will
gather them and not leave behind from
them anyone.
48. And they will be presented before your
Lord in rows, [and He will say], "You
have certainly come to Us just as We
created you the first time. But you
claimed that We would never make for
you an appointment."
49. And the record [of deeds] will be placed
[open], and you will see the criminals
fearful of that within it, and they will
say, "Oh, woe to us! What is this book
that leaves nothing small or great ex-
cept that it has enumerated it?" And
they will find what they did present [be-
fore them]. And your Lord does injus-
tice to no one.
50. And [mention] when We said to the
angels, "Prostrate to Adam," and they
prostrated, except for Iblees. He was of
the jinn and departed from [i.e., dis-
obeyed] the command of his Lord.
Then will you take him and his descen-
dants as allies other than Me while they
are enemies to you? Wretched it is for
the wrongdoers as an exchange.
51. I did not make them witness to the cre-
ation of the heavens and the earth or to
the creation of themselves, and I would
not have taken the misguiders as assis-
tants.
52. And [warn of] the Day when He will
say, "Call 'My partners' whom you
claimed," and they will invoke them,
but they will not respond to them. And
We will put between them [a valley of]
destruction.
' i.e., bare and exposed.
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53. And the criminals will see the Fire and
will be certain that they are to fall there-
in. And they will not find from it a way
elsewhere.
54. And We have certainly diversified in
this Qur'an for the people from every
[kind of] example; but man has ever
been, most of anything, [prone to] dis-
pute.
55. And nothing has prevented the people
from believing when guidance came to
them and from asking forgiveness of
their Lord except that there [must] be-
fall them the [accustomed] precedent of
the former peoples 735 or that the pu-
nishment should come [directly] before
them.
56. And We send not the messengers ex-
cept as bringers of good tidings and
warners. And those who disbelieve dis-
pute by [using] falsehood to [attempt
to] invalidate thereby the truth and have
taken My verses, and that of which they
are warned, in ridicule.
57. And who is more unjust than one who
is reminded of the verses of his Lord
but turns away from them and forgets
what his hands have put forth? Indeed,
We have placed over their hearts cover-
ings, lest they understand it, and in their
ears deafness. And if you invite them to
guidance - they will never be guided,
then - ever.
58. And your Lord is the Forgiving, full of
mercy. If He were to impose blame
upon them for what they earned, He
would have hastened for them the pu-
nishment. Rather, for them is an ap-
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
pointment from which they will never
find an escape.
And those cities - We destroyed them
when they wronged, and We made for
their destruction an appointed time.
And [mention] when Moses said to his
boy [i.e., servant], "I will not cease
[traveling] until I reach the junction of
the two seas or continue for a long pe-
riod."
But when they reached the junction
between them, they forgot their fish,
and it took its course into the sea, slip-
ping away.
So when they had passed beyond it,
[Moses] said to his boy, "Bring us our
morning meal. We have certainly suf-
fered in this, our journey, [much] fati-
gue."
He said, "Did you see when we retired
to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the
fish. And none made me forget it ex-
cept Satan - that I should mention it.
And it took its course into the sea ama-
zingly."
[Moses] said, "That is what we were
seeking." So they returned, following
their footprints.
And they found a servant from among
Our servants [i.e., al-Khidhr] to whom
We had given mercy from Us and had
taught him from Us a [certain] know-
ledge.
Moses said to him, "May I follow you
on [the condition] that you teach me
from what you have been taught of
sound judgement?"
735 Who denied the truth brought by God's mes-
sengers.
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67. He said, "Indeed, with me you will nev-
er be able to have patience.
68. And how can you have patience for
what you do not encompass in know-
ledge?"
69. [Moses] said, "You will find me, if God
wills, patient, and I will not disobey you
in [any] order."
70. He said, "Then if you follow me, do
not ask me about anything until I make
to you about it mention [i.e., explana-
tion]."
71. So they set out, until when they had
embarked on the ship, he [i.e., al-
Khidhr] tore it open. [Moses] said,
"Have you torn it open to drown its
people? You have certainly done a
grave thing."
72. [Al-Khidhr] said, "Did I not say that
with me you would never be able to
have patience?"
73. [Moses] said, "Do not blame me for
what I forgot and do not cover me in
my matter with difficulty."
74. So they set out, until when they met a
boy, he [i.e., al-Khidhr] killed him.
[Moses] said, "Have you killed a pure
soul for other than [having killed] a
soul? You have certainly done a deplor-
able thing."
75. [Al-Khidhr] said, "Did I not tell you
that with me you would never be able
to have patience?"
76. [Moses] said, "If I should ask you about
anything after this, then do not keep me
as a companion. You have obtained
from me an excuse."
77. So they set out, until when they came to
the people of a town, they asked its
people for food, but they refused to of-
fer them hospitality. And they found
therein a wall about to collapse, so he
[i.e., al-Khidhr] restored it. [Moses] said,
"If you wished, you could have taken
for it a payment."
78. [Al-Khidhr] said, "This is parting be-
tween me and you. I will inform you of
the interpretation of that about which
you could not have patience.
79. As for the ship, it belonged to poor
people working at sea. So I intended to
cause defect in it as there was after
them a king who sei2ed every [good]
ship by force.
80. And as for the boy, his parents were
believers, and we feared that he would
overburden them by transgression and
disbelief.
81. So we intended that their Lord should
substitute for them one better than him
in purity and nearer to mercy.
82. And as for the wall, it belonged to two
orphan boys in the city, and there was
beneath it a treasure for them, and their
father had been righteous. So your Lord
intended that they reach maturity and
extract their treasure, as a mercy from
your Lord. And I did it not of my own
accord. That is the interpretation of
that about which you could not have
patience."
83. And they ask you, [O Muhammad],
about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say, "I will recite
to you about him a report."
84. Indeed, We established him upon the
earth, and We gave him to everything a
way [i.e., means].
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85. So he followed a way
86. Until, when he reached the setting of
the sun [i.e., the west], he found it [as ifj
setting in a spring of dark mud, 736 and
he found near it a people. We [i.e.,
God] said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either
you punish [them] or else adopt among
them [a way of] goodness."
87. He said, "As for one who wrongs, 737 we
will punish him. Then he will be re-
turned to his Lord, and He will punish
him with a terrible punishment [i.e.,
Hellfire].
an expenditure that you might make be-
tween us and them a barrier?"
95. He said, "That in which my Lord has
established me is better [than what you
offer], but assist me with strength [i.e.,
manpower]; I will make between you
and them a dam.
96. Bring me sheets of iron" - until, when
he had leveled [them] between the two
mountain walls, he said, "Blow [with
bellows]," until when he had made it
pike] fire, he said, "Bring me, that I may
pour over it molten copper."
88. But as for one who believes and does
righteousness, he will have a reward of
the best [i.e., Paradise], and we [i.e.,
Dhul-Qarnayn] will speak to him from
our command with ease."
89. Then he followed a way
90. Until, when he came to the rising of the
sun [i.e., the east], he found it rising on
a people for whom We had not made
against it any shield.
91. Thus. 738 And We had encompassed [all]
that he had in knowledge.
92. Then he followed a way
97. So they [i.e., Gog and Magog] were un-
able to pass over it, nor were they able
[to effect] in it any penetration.
98. [Dhul-Qarnayn] said, "This is a mercy
from my Lord; but when the promise
of my Lord 740 comes [i.e., approaches],
He will make it level, and ever is the
promise of my Lord true."
99. And We will leave them that day 741
surging over each other, and [then] the
Horn will be blown, and We will as-
semble them in [one] assembly.
100. And We will present Hell that Day to
the disbelievers, on display -
93. Until, when he reached [a pass] between
two mountains, he found beside them a
people who could hardly understand
[his] speech.
101. Those whose eyes had been within a
cover [removed] from My remem-
brance, 742 and they were not able to
hear. 743
94. They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed
Gog and Magog 739 are [great] corrupters
in the land. So may we assign for you
736 Another meaning is "a hot spring."
737 Persists in disbelief and rebellion.
738 Such was the affair of Dhul-Qumayn.
739 Savage tribes who had ravaged large parts of
central Asia, committing every kind of atrocity.
102. Then do those who disbelieve think
that they can take My servants instead
of Me as allies? Indeed, We have pre-
740 i.e., the Hour of Resurrection.
741 The day the dam is destroyed.
742 i.e., God's signs or the Qur'an.
743 They refused to listen to the Qur'an or to un-
derstand it.
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pared Hell for the disbelievers as a
lodging.
103. Say, [O Muhammad], "Shall we [believ-
ers] inform you of the greatest losers as
to [their] deeds?
104. [They are] those whose effort is lost in
worldly life, while they think that they
are doing well in work."
105. Those are the ones who disbelieve in
the verses of their Lord and in [their]
meeting Him, so their deeds have be-
come worthless; and We will not assign
to them on the Day of Resurrection any
weight [i.e., importance].
106. That is their recompense - Hell - for
what they denied and [because] they
took My signs and My messengers in
ridicule.
107. Indeed, those who have believed and
done righteous deeds - they will have
the Gardens of Paradise 744 as a lodging,
108. Wherein they abide eternally. They will
not desire from it any transfer.
109. Say, "If the sea were ink for [writing]
the words 745 of my Lord, the sea would
be exhausted before the words of my
Lord were exhausted, even if We
brought the like of it as a supplement."
110. Say, "I am only a man like you, to
whom has been revealed that your god
is one God. So whoever would hope
for the meeting with his Lord - let him
do righteous work and not associate in
the worship of his Lord anyone."
744 i.e., the highest part of Paradise, al-Firdaus.
745 The words of God's unlimited knowledge or
words describing His attributes and His grandeur
or praise of Him.
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Surah 19: Maryam
Period of Revelation
It was revealed before the Migration to Abassinyah. We learn from authentic hadith that Ja'afar recited v. 1-
40 of this Surah in the court of Negus when he called the migrants to his court.
Historical Background
We have already briefly referred to the conditions of that period in the introduction to Surah al-Kahf. Here
we shall give rather fuller details of the same conditions which will be helpful in grasping the meaning of this
Surah and the other Surahs of the period. When the chiefs of the Quraysh felt that they had failed to sup-
press the Islamic movement by ridicule and sarcasm, by holding out promises and threats and by making
false accusations they resorted to persecution, beating and economic pressure. They would catch hold of the
new Muslims of their clans and persecute them, starve them and would even inflict physical torture on them
in order to coerce them to give up Islam. The most pitiful victims of their persecution were the poor people
and the slaves and the proteges of the Quraysh. They were beaten black and blue, were imprisoned and kept
thirsty and hungry and were dragged on the burning sands of Makkah.
When the conditions became unbearable the Prophet in the month of Rajab of the fifth year of Prophethood
gave advice to his Companions to this effect: "You may well migrate to Abassinyah for there is a king who does not
allow any kind of injustice to anyone and there is good in his land. You should remain there till the time that God provides a
remedy for your affliction. "
Accordingly at first, eleven men and four women left for Abassinyah. The Quraysh pursued them up to the
coast but fortunately they got a timely boat for Abassinyah at the sea-port of Shu'aibah and they escaped
attest. Then after a few months other people migrated to Abassinyah and their number rose to eighty-three
men and eleven women of the Quraysh and seven non-Quraysh. After this only forty persons were left with
the Prophet at Makkah.
There was a great hue and cry in Makkah after this Migration for every family of the Quraysh was adversely
affected by this. There was hardly a family of the Quraysh which did not lose a son, a son-in-law, a daughter,
a brother or a sister. For instance there were among the Migrants the near relatives of Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan
and other chiefs of the Quraysh who were notorious for their persecution of the Muslims. After the migra-
tion, the Quraysh held consultations, and decided to send Abdullah bin Abi Rabiy'ah, half brother of Abu
Jahl, and Amr bin As to Abassinyah with precious gifts so as to persuade Negus to send the migrants back to
Makkah. Umm Salmah (a wife of the Prophet), who was among the migrants, has related this part of the
story in detail. She says,
"When these two clever statesmen of the Quraysh reached Abassinyah, they distributed the gifts among the
courtiers of the King and persuaded them to recommend strongly to him to send the migrants back. Then
they saw Negus himself and, presenting rich gifts to him, said, 'Some headstrong brats of our city have come to your
land and our chiefs have sent us to you with the request that you may kindly send them back. These brats have forsaken our
faith and have not embraced your faith either, but have invented a new faith'. As soon as they had finished their speech,
all the courtiers recommended their case, saying, We should send such people back to their city for their people know
them better. It is not proper for us to keep them here'. At this the King was annoyed and said, 'I am not going to give them
back without proper inquiry. As these people have put their trust in my country rather than in any other country and have come
here to take shelter, I will not betray them. At first I will send for them and investigate into the allegations these people have
made against them. Then I will make my final decision'. Accordingly, the King sent for the Companions of the
Prophet and asked them to come to his court.
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When the migrants received the message of the King, they assembled and held consultations as to what they
should say to the King. At last they came to this unanimous decision: "We will present before the King the teachings
of the Holy Prophet without adding anything to or withholding anythingfrom them and leave it to him whether he lets us remain
here or turns us out of his country'. When they came to the court, the King put this problem abruptly before them:
1 understand that you have given up the faith of your own people and have neither embraced my faith nor any other existing
faith. I would like to know what your new faith is.' At this, Jafar bin Abi Talib, on behalf of the migrants, made an
extempore speech to this effect: 'O King! We were sunk deep in ignorance and had become very corrupt; then Muhammad
(God's peace be upon him) came to us as a Messenger of God, and did his best to reform us. But the Quraysh began to persecute
his followers, so we have come to your country in the hope that here we will be free from persecution'. After his speech, the
King said, 'Please recite a piece of the Revelation which has been sent down by God to your Prophet'. In response, Jafar
recited that portion of Surah Maryam which relates the story of Prophet's John the Baptist and Jesus (God's
peace be upon them). The King listened to it and wept, so much so that his beard became wet with tears.
When Jafar finished the recital, he said: Most surely this Revelation and the Message of Jesus have come from the same
source. By God I will not give you up into the hands of these people '.
Next day Amr bin As went to Negus and said, Please send for them again and ask them concerning the creed they hold
about Jesus, the son of Mary, for they say a horrible thing about him'. The King again sent for the migrants, who had
already learnt about the scheme of Amr. They again sat together and held consultations in regard to the an-
swer they should give to the King, if he asked about the belief they held about Prophet Jesus. Though this
was a very critical situation and all of them were uneasy about it, they decided that they would say the same
thing that God and His Messenger had taught them. Accordingly, when they went to the court, the King put
them the question that had been suggested by Amr bin As. So Jafar bin Abi Talib stood up and answered
without the least hesitation: 'He was a Servant of God and His Messenger. He was a Spirit and a Word of God which
had been sent to virgin Mary. ' At this the King picked up a straw from the ground and said, Py God, Jesus was not worth this
straw more than what you have said about him. ' After this the King returned the gifts sent by the Quraysh, saying, 'I
do not take any bribe'. Then he said to the migrants, 'You are allowed to stay here in perfect peace '."
Theme and Subject
Keeping in view this historical background it becomes quite obvious that this Surah was sent down to serve
the migrants as a provision for their journey to Abassinyah, as if to say though you are leaving your country
as persecuted emigrants to a Christian country you should not in the least hide anything from the teachings
you have received. Therefore you should plainly say to the Christians that Prophet Jesus was not the son of
God.
After relating the story of Prophet's John and Jesus in v. 1 -40 the story of Prophet Abraham has been related
(v. 41-50) also for the benefit of the Mgrants for he also had been forced like them to leave his country by
the persecution of his father, his family and his country men. On the one hand this meant to console the
Emigrants that they were following the footsteps of Prophet Abraham and would attain the same good end
as that Prophet did. On the other hand it meant to warn the disbeliever of Makkah that they should note it
well that they were in the position of the cruel people who had persecuted their forefather and leader Abra-
ham while the Muslim Emigrants were in the position of Prophet Abraham himself.
Then the mention of the other Prophets has been made in v. 51-65 with a view to impress that Prophet Mu-
hammad had brought the same way of Life that had been brought by the former Prophets but their followers
had become corrupt and adopted wrong ways.
In the concluding passage (v. 66-98) a strong criticism has been made of the evil ways of the disbelievers of
Makkah while the Believers have been given the good news that they would come out successful and become
the beloved of the people in spite of the worst efforts of the enemies of the Truth.
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Surah 19: Maryam 746
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
[An angel] said, "Thus [it will be]; your
Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, for I
created you before, while you were
nothing.' "
1 . Kaf, Ha, Ya, Ayn, Sad. 747
2. [This is] a mention of the mercy of
your Lord to His servant Zechariah
3. When he called to his Lord a private
call [i.e., supplication],
4. He said, "My Lord, indeed my bones
have weakened, and my head has
filled 748 with white, and never have I
been in my supplication to You, my
Lord, unhappy [i.e., disappointed].
5. And indeed, I fear the successors 749
after me, and my wife has been barren,
so give me from Yourself an heir
6. Who will inherit me 750 and inherit from
the family of Jacob. And make him, my
Lord, pleasing [to You]."
7. [He was told], 751 "O Zechariah, indeed
We give you good tidings of a boy
whose name will be John. We have not
assigned to any before [this] name."
8. He said, "My Lord, how will I have a
boy when my wife has been barren and
I have reached extreme old
age-'
746 Maryam; Mary (the mother of Prophet Jesus).
747 See footnote to 2:1.
748 Literally, "ignited." The spread of white hair
throughout the head is likened to that of fire in
the bush.
749 Those relatives from the father's side who
would inherit religious authority.
750 Inherit from me religious knowledge and pro-
phethood.
751 By God through the angels.
10. [Zechariah] said, "My Lord, make for
me a sign." He said, "Your sign is that
you will not speak to the people for
three nights, [being] sound." 752
11. So he came out to his people from the
prayer chamber and signaled to them to
exalt [God] in the morning and after-
noon.
12. [God said], "O John, take the Scripture
[i.e., adhere to it] with determination."
And We gave him judgement [while
yet] a boy
13. And affection from Us and purity, and
he was fearing of God
14. And dutiful to his parents, and he was
not a disobedient tyrant.
15. And peace be upon him the day he was
born and the day he dies and the day he
is raised alive.
16. And mention, [O Muhammad], in the
Book [the story of] Mary, when she
withdrew from her family to a place
toward the east.
17. And she took, in seclusion from them,
a screen. Then We sent to her Our An-
gel [i.e., Gabriel], and he represented
himself to her as a well-proportioned
man.
18. She said, "Indeed, I seek refuge in the
Most Merciful from you, [so leave me],
if you should be fearing of God."
752 i.e., without illness or defect.
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19. He said, "I am only the messenger of 28.
your Lord to give you [news of] a pure
boy [i.e., son]."
20. She said, "How can I have a boy while 29.
no man has touched me and I have not
been unchaste?"
O sister of Aaron, your father was not a
man of evil, nor was your mother un-
chaste."
So she pointed to him. They said,
"How can we speak to one who is in
the cradle a child?"
21. He said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord
says, 'It is easy for Me, and We will
make him a sign to the people and a
mercy from Us. And it is a matter [al-
ready] decreed.' "
22. So she conceived him, and she with-
drew with him to a remote place.
23. And the pains of childbirth drove her
to the trunk of a palm tree. She said,
"Oh, I wish I had died before this and
was in oblivion, forgotten."
24. But he 753 called her from below her,
"Do not grieve; your Lord has pro-
vided beneath you a stream.
25. And shake toward you the trunk of the
palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe,
fresh dates.
26. So eat and drink and be contented. And
if you see from among humanity any-
one, say, 'Indeed, I have vowed to the
Most Merciful abstention, so I will not
speak today to [any] man.' "
27. Then she brought him to her people,
carrying him. They said, "O Mary, you
have certainly done a thing unprece-
dented.
753 There is a difference of opinion among scho-
lars as to whether "he" refers to the baby or to
the angel.
30. [Jesus] said, "Indeed, I am the servant
of God. He has given me the Scripture
and made me a prophet.
31. And He has made me blessed wherever
I am and has enjoined upon me prayer
and zakah as long as I remain alive
32. And [made me] dutiful to my mother,
and He has not made me a wretched
tyrant.
33. And peace is on me the day I was born
and the day I will die and the day I am
raised alive."
34. That is Jesus, the son of Mary - the
word of truth about which they are in
dispute.
35. It is not [befitting] for God to take a
son; exalted is He! 754 When He decrees
an affair, He only says to it, "Be," and it
is.
36. [Jesus said], "And indeed, God is my
Lord and your Lord, so worship Him.
That is a straight path."
37. Then the factions differed [concerning
Jesus] from among them, so woe to
those who disbelieved - from the scene
of a tremendous Day.
38. How [clearly] they will hear and see the
Day they come to Us, but the wrong-
doers today are in clear error.
754 i.e., far removed is He from any such need.
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39. And warn them, [O Muhammad], of
the Day of Regret, when the matter will
be concluded; 755 and [yet], they are in [a
state of] heedlessness, and they do not
believe.
43. O my father, indeed there has come to
me of knowledge that which has not
come to you, so follow me; I will guide
you to an even path.
44. O my father, do not worship [i.e., obey]
Satan. Indeed Satan has ever been, to
the Most Merciful, disobedient.
45. O my father, indeed I fear that there
will touch you a punishment from the
Most Merciful so you would be to Sa-
tan a companion [in Hellfire]."
46. [His father] said, "Have you no desire
for my gods, O Abraham? If you do
not desist, I will surely stone you, so
avoid me a prolonged time."
47. [Abraham] said, "Peace [i.e., safety] will
be upon you. 756 I will ask forgiveness
for you of my Lord. Indeed, He is ever
gracious to me.
755 i.e., "judged" or "accomplished."
756 Meaning "You are secure" or "I will not harm
you."
48. And I will leave you and those you in-
voke other than God and will invoke
my Lord. I expect that I will not be in
invocation to my Lord unhappy [i.e.,
disappointed]."
40. Indeed, it is We who will inherit the 49.
earth and whoever is on it, and to Us
they will be returned.
41. And mention in the Book [the story of]
Abraham. Indeed, he was a man of 50.
truth and a prophet.
42. [Mention] when he said to his father,
"O my father, why do you worship that 51 .
which does not hear and does not see
and will not benefit you at all?
So when he had left them and those
they worshipped other than God, We
gave him Isaac and Jacob, and each [of
them] We made a prophet.
And We gave them of Our mercy, and
We made for them a mention [i.e., rep-
utation] of high honour.
And mention in the Book, Moses. In-
deed, he was chosen, and he was a
messenger and a prophet. 757
52. And We called him from the side of the
mount 758 at [his] right and brought him
near, confiding [to him].
53. And We gave him out of Our mercy his
brother Aaron as a prophet.
54. And mention in the Book, Ishmael.
Indeed, he was true to his promise, and
he was a messenger and a prophet.
55. And he used to enjoin on his people
prayer and zakah and was to his Lord
pleasing [i.e., accepted by Him],
56. And mention in the Book, Idrees. In-
deed, he was a man of truth and a
prophet.
57. And We raised him to a high station.
58. Those were the ones upon whom God
bestowed favor from among the
757 A messenger (rasiil) is one who was charged by
God to reform society. A prophet (nabi) is one
who received revelation from God, the latter
being more numerous than the former.
758 Mount Sinai.
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prophets of the descendants of Adam
and of those We carried [in the ship]
with Noah, and of the descendants of
Abraham and Israel [i.e., Jacob], and of
those whom We guided and chose.
When the verses of the Most Merciful
were recited to them, they fell in pro-
stration and weeping.
59. But there came after them successors
[i.e., later generations] who neglected
prayer and pursued desires; so they are
going to meet evil 759 -
60. Except those who repent, believe and
do righteousness; for those will enter
Paradise and will not be wronged at all.
61. [Therein are] gardens of perpetual resi-
dence which the Most Merciful has
promised His servants in the unseen.
Indeed, His promise has ever been
coming. 760
62. They will not hear therein any ill speech
- only [greetings of] peace - and they
will have their provision therein, morn-
ing and afternoon.
Him and have patience for His wor-
ship. Do you know of any similarity to
Him?"
66. And man [i.e., the disbeliever] says,
"When I have died, am I going to be
brought forth alive?"
67. Does man not remember that We
created him before, while he was noth-
ing?
68. So by your Lord, We will surely gather
them and the devils; then We will bring
them to be present around Hell upon
their knees. 762
69. Then We will surely extract from every
sect those of them who were worst
against the Most Merciful in insolence.
70. Then, surely it is We who are most
knowing of those most worthy of burn-
ing therein.
71. And there is none of you except he will
come to it. 763 This is upon your Lord
an inevitability decreed.
63. That is Paradise, which We give as in-
heritance to those of Our servants who
were fearing of God.
72. Then We will save those who feared
God and leave the wrongdoers within
it, on their knees.
64. [Gabriel said], 761 "And we [angels] des-
cend not except by the order of your
Lord. To Him belongs that before us
and that behind us and what is in be-
tween. And never is your Lord forget-
ful -
65. Lord of the heavens and the earth and
whatever is between them - so worship
759 Described as a valley in Hell or may be ren-
dered "the consequence of error."
760 Literally, "that to which all will come."
761 In answer to the Prophet's wish that Gabriel
would visit him more often.
73. And when Our verses are recited to
them as clear evidences, those who dis-
believe say to those who believe,
"Which of [our] two parties is best in
position and best in association?" 764
74. And how many a generation have We
destroyed before them who were better
762 i.e., fallen on their knees from terror or
dragged there unwillingly on their knees.
763 i.e., be exposed to it. However, the people of
Paradise will not be harmed thereby.
764 In regard to worldly interests.
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in possessions and [outward] appear-
ance?
75. Say, "Whoever is in error - let the Most
Merciful extend for him an extension
[in wealth and time] until, when they
see that which they were promised - ei-
ther punishment [in this world] or the
Hour [of resurrection] - they will come
to know who is worst in position and
weaker in soldiers."
76. And God increases those who were
guided, in guidance, and the enduring
good deeds are better to your Lord 765
for reward and better for recourse.
77. Then, have you seen he who disbe-
lieved in Our verses and said, "I will
surely be given wealth and children [in
the next life]?"
78. Has he looked into the unseen, or has
he taken from the Most Merciful a
promise?
79. No! We will record what he says and
extend [i.e., increase] for him from the
punishment extensively.
80. And We will inherit him [in] what he
mentions, 766 and he will come to Us
alone.
81. And they have taken besides God
[false] deities that they would be for
them [a source of] honour.
82. No! They [i.e., those "gods"] will deny
their worship of them and will be
against them opponents [on the Day of
Judgement] .
763 i.e., in the sight or evaluation of God.
766 Instead of giving him wealth and children in
the Hereafter, God will take from him those he
had in worldly life at time of his death.
83. Do you not see that We have sent the
devils upon the disbelievers, inciting
them [to evil] with [constant] incite-
ment?
84. So be not impatient over them. We
only count out [i.e., allow] to them a
[limited] number. 767
85. On the Day We will gather the righ-
teous to the Most Merciful as a delega-
tion
86. And will drive the criminals to Hell in
thirst
87. None will have [power of] intercession
except he who had taken from the
Most Merciful a covenant. 768
88. And they say, "The Most Merciful has
taken [for Himself] a son."
89. You have done an atrocious thing.
90. The heavens almost rupture therefrom
and the earth splits open and the
mountains collapse in devastation
91. That they attribute to the Most Merci-
ful a son.
92. And it is not appropriate for the Most
Merciful that He should take a son.
93. There is no one in the heavens and
earth but that he comes to the Most
Merciful as a servant.
94. He has enumerated them and counted
them a [full] counting.
95. And all of them are coming to Him on
the Day of Resurrection alone.
767 Of breaths, of days, or of evil deeds.
768 Not to worship other than Him.
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96. Indeed, those who have believed and
done righteous deeds - the Most Merci-
ful will appoint for them affection. 769
97. So, [O Muhammad], We have only
made it [i.e., the Qur'an] easy in your
tongue [i.e., the Arabic language] that
you may give good tidings thereby to
the righteous and warn thereby a hos-
tile people.
98. And how many have We destroyed
before them of generations? Do you
perceive of them anyone or hear from
them a sound?
769 p r0 m Himself and from among each other.
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Surah 20: Ta Ha
Period of Revelation
The period of its revelation is the same as of Surah Maryam. It is just possible that it was sent down during
the Migration to Abassinyah or just after it. Anyhow it is certain that this Surah was revealed before Umar
embraced Islam.
According to a well known and authentic hadith when Umar set out to kill the Prophet he met a certain per-
son who said 'Before you do anything else you should know that your own sister and brother-in-law have embraced Islam'
Hearing this he directly went to the house of his sister. There he found his sister Fatimah and his brother-in-
law Said bin Zayd learning the contents of a scroll from Khabbab bin Art. When Fatimah saw him coming
she hid the scroll at once but Umar had heard the recital so he began to interrogate them about it. Then he
began to thrash his brother-in-law and wounded his sister who tried to protect him. At last both of them
confessed 'We have become Muslims; you may do whatever you like!' As Umar was moved to see blood running
down from her head he said, 'Show me the thingyou were reading! The sister asked him to promise on oath that
he would not tear it and added 'You cannot touch it unless you have a bath. ' Accordingly , Umar took his bath and
when he began to read the scroll which contained this Surah he spontaneously spoke out, 'What an excellent
thing!' At this Khabbab who had hidden himself at the sound of his footsteps came out of his hiding and said,
'By God I have high expectations that God will get great service from you to propagate the Message of His Prophet for just yes-
terday I heard the Holy Prophet praying to God My Lord make Abul Hakam bin Hisham (Abujahl) or Umar bin Khat-
tab a supporter of Islam.'' So Umar turn to God turn to God.' These words proved to be so persuasive that he at
once accompanied Khabbab and went to the Prophet to embrace Islam. This happened a short time after the
Migration to Abassinyah.
Theme and Topics of Discussion
This Surah begins with the enunciation of the object of the Revelation of the Qur'an to this effect: "O Mu-
hammad this Qur'an has not been sent down to you to put you unnecessarily to some great affliction. It does
not demand from you to perform the impossible task of imbuing the hearts of the obdurate disbelievers with
Faith. It is merely an admonition meant to guide on to the Right Path those who fear God and want to save
themselves from His punishment. This Qur'an is the Word of the Master of the earth and the heavens and
God-head belongs to Him aloneThese two facts are eternal whether one believes them or not."
After this introduction the Surah abruptly moves on to relate the story of Prophet Moses without any appar-
ent relevancy and without even hinting at its applicability to the events of the period. However if we read
between the lines we realize that the discourse is addressed very relevantly to the people of Makkah. But be-
fore we explain the hidden meaning of the discourse we must keep in view the fact that the Arabs in general
acknowledged Moses as a Prophet of God. This was so because they had "been influenced by the large
number of the Jews around them and by" the neighbouring Christian kingdoms. Now let us state those
things which are hidden between the lines of the story:
1 . God does not appoint a Prophet by the beat of drums or by celebrating the occasion in a regular
and formal ceremony as if to say We are appointing such and such a person as Our Prophet from
today. On the contrary He bestows Prophethood in a confidential manner just as He did in the case
of Prophet Moses. Therefore you should not consider it strange if Muhammad has been appointed
as a Prophet all of a sudden and without any public proclamation.
2. The fundamental principles presented by Prophet Muhammad, Tawhid (oneness of God) and the
Hereafter are just the same as were taught to Prophet Moses at the time of his appointment.
3. Prophet Muhammad has been made the standard bearer of the Message of the Truth among the
people of the Quraysh all by himself without material provisions just as Prophet Moses was en-
trusted with the Mission to go to a tyrant king like Pharaoh and ask him to give up his attitude of
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rebellion. These are the mysterious ways of God. He catches hold of a way farer of Midian on his
way to Egypt and says Go and fight with the greatest tyrant of the time. He did not provide him
with armies and provisions for this Mission. The only thing He did was to appoint his brother as his
assistant at his request.
4. You O People of Makkah should note it well that Pharaoh employed the same devices against
Prophet Moses as you are employing against Prophet Muhammad; frivolous objections accusations
and cruel persecutions. You should know that God's Prophet came out victorious over Pharaoh
who possessed large armies and war equipments. Incidentally the Muslims have been consoled and
comforted though not in so many words that they should not be afraid of fighting with the Quraysh
against fearful odds for the mission which is supported by God comes out victorious in the end. At
the same time the Muslims have been exhorted to follow the excellent example of the magicians of
Egypt who remained steadfast in their Faith though Pharaoh threatened them with horrible ven-
geance.
5. An incident from the story of the Israelites has been cited to show in what ridiculous manner the
idolisation of false gods and goddesses starts and that the Prophets of God do not tolerate even the
slightest tinge of this preposterous practice. Likewise Prophet Muhammad is following the former
Prophets in opposing shirk and idol worship today.
Thus the story of Moses has been used to throw light on all those matters which were connected with the
conflict between the Prophet and the Quraysh. Then at the end of the story the Quraysh have been briefly
admonished as if to say The Qur'an has been sent down in your tongue for your own good. If you listen to it
and follow its admonition, you will be doing so for your own good but if you reject it, you will yourselves
meet with an evil end."
After this the story of Prophet Adam has been related, as if to tell the Quraysh, "The way you are following
is the way of Satan, whereas the right way for a man is to follow his father Adam. He was beguiled by Satan,
but when he realized his error, he plainly confessed it and repented and again turned back to the service of
God and won His favor. On the other hand, if a person follows Satan and sticks to his error obdurately in
spite of admonition, he does harm to himself alone like Satan."
In the end, the Prophet and the Muslims have been advised not to be impatient in regard to the punishment
to the disbelievers, as if to say, "God has His Own scheme concerning them. He does not seize them at once
but gives them sufficient respite. Therefore you should not grow impatient but bear the persecutions with
fortitude and go on conveying the Message."
In this connection, great emphasis has been laid on salat so that it may create in the believers the virtues of
patience, forbearance, contentment, resignation to the will of God and self analysis for these are greatly
needed in the service of the Message of the Truth.
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Surah 20: Ta Ha 770
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. Ta, Ha. 771
2. We have not sent down to you the
Qur'an that you be distressed
3. But only as a reminder for those who
fear [God] -
4. A revelation from He who created the
earth and highest heavens,
5. The Most Merciful [who is] above the
Throne established. 772
6. To Him belongs what is in the heavens
and what is on the earth and what is be-
tween them and what is under the soil.
12. Indeed, I am your Lord, so remove
your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sa-
cred valley of Tuwa.
13. And I have chosen you, so listen to
what is revealed [to you] .
14. Indeed, I am God. There is no deity
except Me, so worship Me and estab-
lish prayer for My remembrance.
15. Indeed, the Hour is coming - I almost
conceal it 773 - so that every soul may be
recompensed according to that for
which it strives.
16. So do not let one avert you from it 774
who does not believe in it and follows
his desire, for you [then] would perish.
17. And what is that in your right hand, O
Moses?"
7. And if you speak aloud - then indeed,
He knows the secret and what is [even]
more hidden.
18. He said, "It is my staff; I lean upon it,
and I bring down leaves for my sheep
and I have therein other uses."
8. God - there is no deity except Him. To 19.
Him belong the best names.
9. And has the story of Moses reached 20.
you? -
10. When he saw a fire and said to his 21.
family, "Stay here; indeed, I have per-
ceived a fire; perhaps I can bring you a
torch or find at the fire some guid- 22.
ance."
1 1 . And when he came to it, he was called,
"O Moses, 23.
[God] said, "Throw it down, O Mos-
es.
So he threw it down, and thereupon it
was a snake, moving swiftly.
[God] said, "Sei2e it and fear not; We
will return it to its former condition.
And draw in your hand to your side; it
will come out white without disease -
another sign,
That We may show you [some] of Our
greater signs.
770 Ta Ha: (the letters) ta and ha,
771 See footnote to 2:1.
772 i.e., having ascendancy over all creation. See
footnote to 2:19.
773 Meaning that God keeps knowledge of the
Hour hidden from everyone except Himself.
774 From preparation for the Hour or for the He-
reafter.
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24. Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has trans-
gressed [i.e., tyrannized]."
25. [Moses] said, "My Lord, expand [i.e.,
relax] for me my breast [with assurance]
26. And ease for me my task
27. And untie the knot from my tongue
28. That they may understand my speech.
29. And appoint for me a minister [i.e.,
assistant] from my family -
30. Aaron, my brother.
31. Increase through him my strength
32. And let him share my task
33. That we may exalt You much
34. And remember You much.
35. Indeed, You are of us ever Seeing."
36. [God] said, "You have been granted
your request, O Moses.
37. And We had already conferred favor
upon you another time,
38. When We inspired to your mother
what We inspired,
39. [Saying], 'Cast him into the chest and
cast it into the river, and the river will
throw it onto the bank; there will take
him an enemy to Me and an enemy to
him.' And I bestowed upon you love
from Me 775 that you would be brought
up under My eye [i.e., observation and
care] .
775 God put love of Moses into the hearts of the
people.
40. [And We favored you] when your sister
went and said, 'Shall I direct you to
someone who will be responsible for
him?' So We restored you to your
mother that she might be content and
not grieve. And you killed someone, 776
but We saved you from retaliation and
tried you with a [severe] trial. And you
remained [some] years among the
people of Madyan. Then you came
[here] at the decreed time, O Moses.
41 . And I produced you for Myself. 777
42. Go, you and your brother, with My
signs and do not slacken in My remem-
brance.
43. Go, both of you, to Pharaoh. Indeed,
he has transgressed.
44. And speak to him with gentle speech
that perhaps he may be reminded or
fear [God]."
45. They said, "Our Lord, indeed we are
afraid that he will hasten [punishment]
against us or that he will transgress."
46. [God] said, "Fear not. Indeed, I am
with you both; I hear and I see.
47. So go to him and say, 'Indeed, we are
messengers of your Lord, so send with
us the Children of Israel and do not
torment them. We have come to you
with a sign from your Lord. And
peace 778 will be upon he who follows
the guidance.
776 The Copt who died after being struck by Mos-
es.
777 God had already selected Moses and made
him strong in body and character according to
the requirements of his mission.
778 i.e., safety and security from God's Punish-
ment.
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48. Indeed, it has been revealed to us that
the punishment will be upon whoever
denies and turns away.' "
49. [Pharaoh] said, "So who is the Lord of
you two, O Moses?"
50. He said, "Our Lord is He who gave
each thing its form and then guided
[it]."
51. [Pharaoh] said, "Then what is the case
of the former generations?"
52. [Moses] said, "The knowledge thereof
is with my Lord in a record. My Lord
neither errs nor forgets."
53. [It is He] who has made for you the
earth as a bed [spread out] and inserted
therein for you roadways and sent
down from the sky, rain and produced
thereby categories of various plants.
54. Eat [therefrom] and pasture your lives-
tock. Indeed, in that are signs for those
of intelligence.
55. From it [i.e., the earth] We created you,
and into it We will return you, and
from it We will extract you another
time.
56. And We certainly showed him [i.e.,
Pharaoh] Our signs - all of them - but
he denied and refused.
57. He said, "Have you come to us to drive
us out of our land with your magic, O
Moses?
58. Then we will surely bring you magic
like it, so make between us and you an
appointment, which we will not fail to
keep and neither will you, in a place as-
signed." 771 '
59. [Moses] said, "Your appointment is on
the day of the festival when the people
assemble at mid-morning." 780
60. So Pharaoh went away, put together his
plan, and then came [to Moses].
61. Moses said to them [i.e., the magicians
summoned by Pharaoh], "Woe to you!
Do not invent a lie against God or He
will exterminate you with a punish-
ment; and he has failed who invents
[such falsehood]."
62. So they disputed over their affair
among themselves and concealed their
private conversation.
63. They said, "Indeed, these are two magi-
cians who want to drive you out of
your land with their magic and do away
with your most exemplary way [i.e., re-
ligion or tradition] .
64. So resolve upon your plan and then
come [forward] in line. And he has suc-
ceeded today who overcomes."
65. They said, "O Moses, either you throw
or we will be the first to throw."
66. He said, "Rather, you throw." And
suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed
to him from their magic that they were
moving [like snakes].
67. And he sensed within himself appre-
hension, did Moses.
779 Literally, "marked", as to be known. Another
meaning is "a place midway [between us]" or "a
level place."
780 So that the signs of God would be seen clear-
ly-
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68. We [i.e., God] said, "Fear not. Indeed, it
is you who are superior.
69. And throw what is in your right hand; it
will swallow up what they have crafted.
What they have crafted is but the trick
of a magician, and the magician will not
succeed wherever he is."
70. So the magicians fell down in prostra-
tion. 781 They said, "We have believed in
the Lord of Aaron and Moses."
71. [Pharaoh] said, "You believed him [i.e.,
Moses] before I gave you permission.
Indeed, he is your leader who has
taught you magic. So I will surely cut
off your hands and your feet on oppo-
site sides, and I will crucify you on the
trunks of palm trees, and you will surely
know which of us is more severe in
[giving] punishment and more endur-
ing." ' '
72. They said, "Never will we prefer you
over what has come to us of clear
proofs and [over] He who created us. 782
So decree whatever you are to decree.
You can only decree for this worldly
life.
73. Indeed, we have believed in our Lord
that He may forgive us our sins and
what you compelled us [to do] of mag-
ic. And God is better and more endur-
ing." 783
74. Indeed, whoever comes to his Lord as
a criminal - indeed, for him is Hell; he
will neither die therein nor live.
781 After they had seen the miracles which God
had given Moses and that they were realities and
not merely impressions of magic.
782 This phrase has also been interpreted as an
oath, i.e., ". . .by Him who created us."
783 In reward and in punishment.
75. But whoever comes to Him as a believ-
er having done righteous deeds - for
those will be the highest degrees [in po-
sition] :
76. Gardens of perpetual residence beneath
which rivers flow, wherein they abide
eternally. And that is the reward of one
who purifies himself. 784
77. And We had inspired to Moses, "Travel
by night with My servants and strike for
them a dry path through the sea; you
will not fear being overtaken [by Pha-
raoh] nor be afraid [of drowning]."
78. So Pharaoh pursued them with his sol-
diers, and there covered them from the
sea that which covered them, 785
79. And Pharaoh led his people astray and
did not guide [them],
80. O Children of Israel, We delivered you
from your enemy, and We made an ap-
pointment with you 786 at the right side
of the mount, and We sent down to
you manna and quails,
81. [Saying], "Eat from the good things
with which We have provided you and
do not transgress [or oppress others]
therein, lest My anger should descend
upon you. And he upon whom My an-
ger descends has certainly fallen [i.e.,
perished]."
82. But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver
of whoever repents and believes and
does righteousness and then continues
in guidance.
784 p r0 m all uncleanliness, the greatest of which is
worship and obedience to other than God.
785 i.e., not only the water but that which only
God knows — terror, pain, regret, etc.
786 i.e., with your prophet, to receive the scripture
for you.
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83. [God] said, "And what made you has-
ten from your people, O Moses?"
84. He said, "They are close upon my
tracks, and I hastened to You, my Lord,
that You be pleased."
85. [God] said, "But indeed, We have tried
your people after you [departed], and
the Samirl 787 has led them astray."
86. So Moses returned to his people, angry
and grieved. 788 He said, "O my people,
did your Lord not make you a good
promise? 789 Then, was the time [of its
fulfillment] too long for you, or did you
wish that wrath from your Lord des-
cend upon you, so you broke your
promise [of obedience] to me?"
87. They said, "We did not break our
promise to you by our will, but we were
made to carry burdens from the orna-
ments of the people [of Pharaoh], so
we threw them [into the fire], and thus
did the Samirl throw."
88. And he extracted for them [the statue
of] a calf which had a lowing sound,
and they said, "This is your god and the
god of Moses, but he forgot."
89. Did they not see that it could not re-
turn to them any speech [i.e., response]
and that it did not possess for them any
harm or benefit?
90. And Aaron had already told them be-
fore [the return of Moses], "O my
people, you are only being tested by it,
787 Translated as "the Samaritan" (from Samaria),
a hypocrite among them who led the Children of
Israel into idol-worship.
788 The meaning may also be "angry and
enraged."
789 That He would send down the Torah, contain-
ing guidance for you.
and indeed, your Lord is the Most Mer-
ciful, so follow me and obey my order."
91. They said, "We will never cease being
devoted to it [i.e., the calf] until Moses
returns to us."
92. [Moses] said, "O Aaron, what pre-
vented you, when you saw them going
astray,
93. From following me? Then have you
disobeyed my order?"
94. [Aaron] said, "O son of my mother, do
not sei2e [me] by my beard or by my
head. Indeed, I feared that you would
say, You caused division among the
Children of Israel, and you did not ob-
serve [or await] my word.' "
95. [Moses] said, "And what is your case, O
Samiri?"
96. He said, "I saw what they did not see,
so I took a handful [of dust] from the
track of the messenger 790 and threw
it, 791 and thus did my soul entice me."
97. [Moses] said, "Then go. And indeed, it
is [decreed] for you in [this] life to say,
'No contact.' 792 And indeed, you have
an appointment [in the Hereafter] you
will not fail to keep. And look at your
'god' to which you remained devoted.
We will surely burn it and blow it [i.e.,
its ashes] into the sea with a blast.
98. Your god is only God, except for
whom there is no deity. He has encom-
passed all things in knowledge."
790 i.e., a hoof-print in the sand left by the angel
Gabriel's horse.
791 Into the fire upon the melted ornaments in
order to form the calf.
792 i.e., Do not touch me. As chastisement, he was
to be completely shunned by all people.
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99. Thus, [O Muhammad], We relate to
you from the news of what has pre-
ceded. And We have certainly given
you from Us a message [i.e., the
Qur'an.]
100. Whoever turns away from it - then in-
deed, he will bear on the Day of Resur-
rection a burden [i.e., great sin],
109. That Day, no intercession will benefit
except [that of] one to whom the Most
Merciful has given permission and has
accepted his word.
110. He [i.e., God] knows what is [presently]
before them and what will be after
them, 797 but they do not encompass it
[i.e., what He knows] in knowledge.
101. [Abiding] eternally therein, 793 and evil it
is for them on the Day of Resurrection
as a load -
102. The Day the Horn will be blown. And
We will gather the criminals, that Day,
blue-eyed. 794
103. They will murmur among themselves,
"You remained not but ten [days in the
world]."
1 04. We are most knowing of what they say
when the best of them in manner [i.e.,
wisdom or speech] will say, "You re-
mained not but one day."
105. And they ask you about the mountains,
so say, "My Lord will blow them away
with a blast. 795
106. And He will leave it [i.e., the earth] a
level plain;
107. You will not see therein a depression or
an elevation."
108. That Day, they [i.e., everyone] will fol-
low [the call of] the Caller 796 [with] no
deviation therefrom, and [all] voices
will be stilled before the Most Merciful,
so you will not hear except a whisper
[of footsteps] .
793 i.e., in the state of sin.
794 From terror, or blinded completely.
795 Once they have been reduced to dust.
796 To the gathering for judgement.
111. And [all] faces will be humbled before
the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of exis-
tence. And he will have failed who car-
ries injustice. 798
112. But he who does of righteous deeds
while he is a believer - he will neither
fear injustice nor deprivation.
113. And thus We have sent it down as an
Arabic Qur'an 799 and have diversified
therein the warnings that perhaps they
will avoid [sin] or it would cause them
remembrance.
114. So high [above all] is God, the Sove-
reign, the Truth. And, [O Muhammad],
do not hasten with [recitation of] the
Qur'an before its revelation is com-
pleted to you, and say, "My Lord, in-
crease me in knowledge."
115. And We had already taken a promise
from Adam before, but he forgot; and
We found not in him determination. 800
116. And [mention] when We said to the
angels, "Prostrate to Adam," and they
prostrated, except Iblees; 801 he refused.
797 See footnote to 2:255.
798 i.e., sin or wrongdoing towards God or any of
His creation.
799 i.e., revealed in the Arabic language.
800 To res j s t temptation.
801 See footnote to 2:34.
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117. So We said, "O Adam, indeed this is an
enemy to you and to your wife. Then
let him not remove you from Paradise
so you would suffer.
118. Indeed, it is [promised] for you not to
be hungry therein or be unclothed.
119. And indeed, you will not be thirsty
therein or be hot from the sun."
120. Then Satan whispered to him; he said,
"O Adam, shall I direct you to the tree
of eternity and possession that will not
deteriorate?"
121. And they [i.e., Adam and his wife] ate
of it, and their private parts became ap-
parent to them, and they began to fas-
ten over themselves from the leaves of
Paradise. And Adam disobeyed his
Lord and erred.
122. Then his Lord chose him and turned to
him in forgiveness and guided [him].
123. [God] said, "Descend from it [i.e., Pa-
radise] - all, [your descendants] being
enemies to one another. And if there
should come to you guidance from Me
- then whoever follows My guidance
will neither go astray [in the world] nor
suffer [in the Hereafter] .
124. And whoever turns away from My re-
membrance - indeed, he will have a de-
pressed [i.e., difficult] life, and We will
gather [i.e., raise] him on the Day of
Resurrection blind."
125. He will say, "My Lord, why have you
raised me blind while I was [once] see-
ing?"
126. [God] will say, "Thus did Our signs
come to you, and you forgot [i.e., disre-
garded] them; and thus will you this
Day be forgotten."
127. And thus do We recompense he who
transgressed and did not believe in the
signs of his Lord. And the punishment
of the Hereafter is more severe and
more enduring. 802
128. Then, has it not become clear to them
how many generations We destroyed
before them as they walk among their
dwellings? Indeed in that are signs for
those of intelligence.
129. And if not for a word 803 that preceded
from your Lord, it [i.e., punishment]
would have been an obligation [due
immediately] , 804 and [if not for] a speci-
fied term [decreed].
130. So be patient over what they say and
exalt [God] with praise of your Lord
before the rising of the sun and before
its setting; and during periods of the
night [exalt Him] and at the ends of the
day, that you may be satisfied.
131. And do not extend your eyes toward
that by which We have given enjoy-
ment to [some] categories of them, [its
being but] the splendor of worldly life
by which We test them. And the provi-
sion of your Lord is better and more
enduring.
132. And enjoin prayer upon your family
[and people] and be steadfast therein.
We ask you not for provision; We pro-
vide for you, and the [best] outcome is
for [those of] righteousness.
802 Than that of this world.
803 See footnote to 10:19.
804 God would have punished the disbelievers in
this world as He did with previous peoples.
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133. And they say, "Why does he not bring
us a sign from his Lord?" Has there not
come to them evidence of what was in
the former scriptures? 805
134. And if We had destroyed them with a
punishment before him, 806 they would
have said, "Our Lord, why did You not
send to us a messenger so we could
have followed Your verses [i.e., teach-
ings] before we were humiliated and
disgraced?"
135. Say, "Each [of us] is waiting; 807 so wait.
For you will know who are the compa-
nions of the sound path and who is
guided."
805 Is not the Qur'an an adequate proof of Mu-
hammad's prophethood and sufficient as a lasting
miracle?
806 Prophet Muhammad. Also interpreted as "be-
fore it," i.e., the Qur'an.
807 p or i i ie outcome of this matter.
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Surah 21: al-Anbiya'
Period of Revelation
Both the subject matter and the style of the Surah indicate that it was sent down in the third stage of the life
of the Prophet at Makkah (see introduction to Surah 6).
Subject and Topics
This Surah discusses the conflict between the Prophet and the chiefs of Makkah which was rampant at the
time of its Revelation and answers those objections and doubts which were being put forward concerning his
Prophethood and the doctrines of Tawhid and the Hereafter. The chiefs of Makkah have also been rebuked
for their machinations against the Prophet and warned of the evil consequences of their wicked activities.
They have been admonished to give up their indifference and heedlessness that they were showing about the
Message. At the end of the Surah they have been told that the person whom they considered to be a "distress
and affliction" had in reality come to them as a blessing.
Main Themes
In v. 1-47 the following themes have been discussed in particular :
1. The objection of the disbelievers that a human being could not be a Messenger and therefore they
could not accept Muhammad as a Prophet has been refuted.
2. They have been taken to task for raising multifarious and contradictory objections against the
Prophet and the Qur'an.
3. Their wrong conception of life has been proved to be false because it was responsible for their in-
different and heedless attitude towards the Message of the Prophet. They believed that life was
merely a sport and pastime and had no purpose behind or before it and there was no accountability
or reward or punishment.
4. The main cause of the conflict between the disbelievers and the Prophet was their insistence on the
doctrine of Shirk (polytheism) and antagonism to the Doctrine of Tawhid (Oneness of God). So
the doctrine of Shirk has been refuted and the doctrine of Tawhid reinforced by weighty and im-
pressive though brief arguments.
5. Arguments and admonitions have been used to remove another misunderstanding of theirs. They
presumed that Muhammad was a false prophet and his warnings of a scourge from God were emp-
ty threats just because no scourge was visiting them in spite of their persistent rejection of the
Prophet. In v. 48-91 instances have been cited from the important events of the life stories of the
Prophets to show that all the Prophets who were sent by God were human beings and had all the
characteristics of a man except those which were exclusive to Prophethood. They had no share in
Godhead and they had to implore God to fulfil each and every necessity of theirs.
6. All the Prophets had to pass through distress and affliction; their opponents did their worst to
thwart their mission but in spite of it they came out successful by the extraordinary succour from
God.
7. All the Prophets had one and the same 'way of life' the same as was being presented by Muhammad
and that was the only Right Way of Life and all other ways invented and introduced by mischievous
people were utterly wrong.
In v. 92-106 it has been declared that only those who follow the Right Way will come out successful in the
final judgment of God and those who discard it shall meet with the worst consequences. In v. 107-112 the
people have been told that it is a great favour of God that He has sent His Messenger to inform them befo-
rehand of this Reality and that those who consider his coming to be an affliction instead of a blessing are
foolish people.
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21: The Prophets
Surah 21: al-Anbiya' 808
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. [The time of] their account has ap-
proached for the people, while they are
in heedlessness turning away.
2. No mention [i.e., revelation] comes to
them anew from their Lord except that
they listen to it while they are at play
3. With their hearts distracted. And those
who do wrong conceal their private
conversation, [saying], "Is this [Proph-
et] except a human being like you? So
would you approach magic while you
are aware [of it]?"
4. He [the Prophet] said, "My Lord knows
whatever is said throughout the heaven
and earth, and He is the Hearing, the
Knowing."
5. But they say, "[The revelation is but] a
mixture of false dreams; rather, he has
invented it; rather, he is a poet. So let
him bring us a sign just as the previous
[messengers] were sent [with miracles]."
6. Not a [single] city which We destroyed
believed before them, 809 so will they be-
lieve?
7. And We sent not before you, [O Mu-
hammad], except men to whom We re-
vealed [the message], so ask the people
of the message [i.e., former scriptures]
if you do not know.
8. And We did not make them [i.e., the
prophets] forms not eating food, 810 nor
were they immortal [on earth] .
9. Then 8 " We fulfilled for them the
promise, and We saved them and
whom We willed and destroyed the
transgressors.
10. We have certainly sent down to you a
Book [i.e., the Qur'an] in which is your
mention. 812 Then will you not reason?
1 1 . And how many a city which was un-
just 813 have We shattered and produced
after it another people.
12. And when they [i.e., its inhabitants]
perceived Our punishment, at once
they fled from it.
13. [Some angels said], "Do not flee but
return to where you were given luxury
and to your homes - perhaps you will
be questioned." 814
14. They said, "O woe to us! Indeed, we
were wrongdoers."
15. And that declaration of theirs did not
cease until We made them [as] a harvest
[mowed down], extinguished pike a
fire].
16. And We did not create the heaven and
earth and that between them in play.
808 Al-Anbiya: The Prophets.
809 Even though they had witnessed signs and
miracles.
810 Like the angels. Rather, they were human be-
ings with human attributes.
811 Once they had conveyed the message.
812 This implies the honour of having been men-
tioned or addressed. Another meaning is "your
reminder."
813 i.e., its inhabitants persisting in wrongdoing.
814 About what happened to you. This is said to
them in sarcasm and ridicule.
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21: The Prophets
17. Had We intended to take a diversion, 815 25.
We could have taken it from [what is]
with Us - if [indeed] We were to do so.
18. Rather, We dash the truth upon false-
hood, and it destroys it, 816 and thereu- 26.
pon it departs. And for you is destruc-
tion from that which you describe. 817
And We sent not before you any mes-
senger except that We revealed to him
that, "There is no deity except Me, so
worship Me."
And they say, "The Most Merciful has
taken a son." Exalted is He! Rather,
they 819 are [but] honoured servants.
19. To Him belongs whoever is in the hea- 27.
vens and the earth. And those near
Him [i.e., the angels] are not prevented
by arrogance from His worship, nor do 28.
they tire.
20. They exalt [Him] night and day [and]
do not slacken.
21. Or have they [i.e., men] taken for them-
selves gods from the earth who resur- 29.
rect [the dead]?
22. Had there been within them [i.e., the
heavens and earth] gods besides God,
they both would have been ruined. So
exalted is God, Lord of the Throne, 30.
above what they describe.
23. He is not questioned about what He
does, but they will be questioned.
They cannot precede Him in word, and
they act by His command.
He knows what is [presendy] before
them and what will be after them, 820
and they cannot intercede except on
behalf of one whom He approves. And
they, from fear of Him, are apprehen-
sive.
And whoever of them should say, "In-
deed, I am a god besides Him" — that
one We would recompense with Hell.
Thus do We recompense the wrong-
doers.
Have those who disbelieved not consi-
dered that the heavens and the earth
were a joined entity, and We separated
them and made from water every living
thing? Then will they not believe?
24. Or have they taken gods besides Him?
Say, [O Muhammad], "Produce your
proof. This [Qur'an] is the message for
those with me and the message of
those before me." 818 But most of them
do not know the truth, so they are turn-
ing away.
815 Such as a wife or a child.
816 Literally, "strikes its brain," disabling or killing
it.
817 Of untruth concerning God, particularly here
the claim that He has a son or other "partner" in
divinity.
818 All previous prophets called for the worship
of God alone.
31. And We placed within the earth firmly
set mountains, lest it should shift with
them, and We made therein [mountain]
passes [as] roads that they might be
guided.
32. And We made the sky a protected ceil-
ing, but they, from its signs, 821 are turn-
ing away.
33. And it is He who created the night and
the day and the sun and the moon; all
819 Those they claim to be "children" of God,
such as the angels, Ezra, Jesus etc.
820 See footnote to 2:255.
821 The signs present in the heavens.
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21: The Prophets
[heavenly bodies] in an orbit are swim-
ming.
34. And We did not grant to any man be- 43.
fore you eternity [on earth]; so if you
die - would they be eternal?
35. Every soul will taste death. And We test
you with evil and with good as trial; and 44.
to Us you will be returned.
36. And when those who disbelieve see
you, [O Muhammad] , they take you not
except in ridicule, [saying], "Is this the
one who mentions [i.e., insults] your
gods?" And they are, at the mention of
the Most Merciful, disbelievers. 45.
37. Man was created of haste [i.e., impa-
tience]. I will show you My signs [i.e.,
vengeance], so do not impatiently urge 46.
Me.
38. And they say, "When is this promise, if
you should be truthful?"
47.
39. If those who disbelieved but knew the
time when they will not avert the Fire
from their faces or from their backs
and they will not be aided... 822
40. Rather, it will come to them unexpec-
tedly and bewilder them, and they will 48.
not be able to repel it, nor will they be
reprieved.
41. And already were messengers ridiculed 49.
before you, but those who mocked
them were enveloped by what they
used to ridicule.
they are, from the remembrance of
their Lord, turning away.
Or do they have gods to defend them
other than Us? They are unable [even]
to help themselves, nor can they be
protected from Us.
But, [on the contrary], We have pro-
vided good things for these [disbeliev-
ers] and their fathers until life was pro-
longed for them. Then do they not see
that We set upon the land, reducing it
from its borders? 823 So it is they who
will overcome?
Say, "I only warn you by revelation."
But the deaf do not hear the call when
they are warned.
And if [as much as] a whiff of the pu-
nishment of your Lord should touch
them, they would surely say, "O woe to
us! Indeed, we have been wrongdoers."
And We place the scales of justice for
the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will
be treated unjustly at all. And if there is
[even] the weight of a mustard seed, 824
We will bring it forth. And sufficient
are We as accountant.
And We had already given Moses and
Aaron the criterion and a light and a
reminder 825 for the righteous
Who fear their Lord unseen, 826 while
they are of the Hour apprehensive.
42. Say, "Who can protect you at night or
by day from the Most Merciful?" But
822 The completion of the sentence is understood
to be "... .they would not be asking in disbelief
and ridicule to be shown the punishment."
823 See footnote to 13:41.
824 i.e., anything as small or insignificant as a mus-
tard seed.
825 These are three qualities of the Torah.
826 Which can mean "Him being unseen" by them
or "though they are unseen" by others.
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50. And this [Qur'an] is a blessed message
which We have sent down. Then are
you with it unacquainted? 827
51. And We had certainly given Abraham
his sound judgement before, 828 and We
were of him well- Knowing
52. When he said to his father and his
people, "What are these statues to
which you are devoted?"
53. They said, "We found our fathers wor-
shippers of them."
54. He said, "You were certainly, you and
your fathers, in manifest error."
55. They said, "Have you come to us with
truth, or are you of those who jest?"
56. He said, "[No], rather, your Lord is the
Lord of the heavens and the earth who
created them, and I, to that, am of
those who testify.
57. And [I swear] by God, I will surely plan
against your idols after you have turned
and gone away."
58. So he made them into fragments, ex-
cept a large one among them, that they
might return to it [and question] .
59. They said, "Who has done this to our
gods? Indeed, he is of the wrongdoers."
60. They said, "We heard a young man
mention them who is called Abraham."
61. They said, "Then bring him before the
eyes of the people that they may testi-
fy. " 829
827 i.e., pretending ignorance, disapproving or
refusing to acknowledge it?
828 i.e., before Moses. God had guided him from
early youth.
62. They said, "Have you done this to our
gods, O Abraham?"
63. He said, "Rather, this - the largest of
them - did it, so ask them, if they
should [be able to] speak."
64. So they returned to [blaming] them-
selves and said [to each other], "Indeed,
you are the wrongdoers."
65. Then they reversed themselves, 830 [say-
ing], "You have already known that
these do not speak!"
66. He said, "Then do you worship instead
of God that which does not benefit you
at all or harm you?
67. Uff 831 to you and to what you worship
instead of God. Then will you not use
reason?"
68. They said, "Burn him and support your
gods — if you are to act."
69. We [i.e., God] said, "O fire, be coolness
and safety upon Abraham."
70. And they intended for him a plan [i.e.,
harm], but We made them the greatest
losers.
71. And We delivered him and Lot to the
land which We had blessed for the
worlds [i.e., peoples].
72. And We gave him Isaac and Jacob in
addition, and all [of them] We made
righteous.
829 To what they heard him say. It may also mean
" that they may witness [what will be done to
him as punishment]."
830 After first admitting to their error, they were
seized by pride and obstinacy.
831 An exclamation of anger and displeasure.
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73. And We made them leaders guiding by
Our command. And We inspired to
them the doing of good deeds, estab-
lishment of prayer, and giving of zakah; 81 .
and they were worshippers of Us.
74. And to Lot We gave judgement and
knowledge, and We saved him from the
city that was committing wicked deeds.
Indeed, they were a people of evil, de- 82.
fiantly disobedient.
75. And We admitted him into Our mercy.
Indeed, he was of the righteous.
83.
76. And [mention] Noah, when he called
[to God] 832 before [that time], so We
responded to him and saved him and
his family from the great affliction [i.e.,
the flood]. 84.
77. And We aided [i.e., saved] him from the
people who denied Our signs. Indeed,
they were a people of evil, so We
drowned them, all together.
your [enemy in] battle. So will you then
be grateful?
And to Solomon [We subjected] the
wind, blowing forcefully, proceeding by
his command toward the land which
We had blessed. And We are ever, of all
things, Knowing.
And of the devils [i.e., jinn] were those
who dived for him and did work other
than that. And We were of them a
guardian. 835
And [mention] Job, when he called to
his Lord, "Indeed, adversity has
touched me, and you are the Most
Merciful of the merciful."
So We responded to him and removed
what afflicted him of adversity. And
We gave him [back] his family and the
like thereof with them as mercy from
Us and a reminder for the worshippers
[of God].
78. And [mention] David and Solomon,
when they judged concerning the field -
when the sheep of a people overran it
[at night], 833 and We were witness to
their judgement.
85. And [mention] Ishmael and Idrees and
Dhul-Kifl; all were of the patient.
86. And We admitted them into Our mer-
cy. Indeed, they were of the righteous.
79. And We gave understanding of it [i.e.,
the case] to Solomon, and to each [of
them] We gave judgement and know-
ledge. And We subjected the mountains
to exalt [Us], along with David and [al-
so] the birds. And We were doing
[that]. 834
87. And [mention] the man of the fish [i.e.,
Jonah], when he went off in anger 836
and thought that We would not decree
[anything] upon him. 837 And he called
out within the darknesses, 838 "There is
no deity except You; exalted are You.
And We taught him the fashioning of
coats of armor to protect you from
832 i.e., supplicated against his people who had
persisted in denial and animosity. See 17:26-28.
833 Eating and destroying the crops.
834 Meaning that God has always been capable of
accomplishing whatever He wills.
835 Preventing any disobedience or deviation by
them from Solomon's instructions and protecting
him from being harmed by them.
836 At the disbelief of his people.
837 Or "would not restrict him" in the belly of the
fish.
838 That of the night, of the sea, and of the fish's
interior.
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Indeed, I have been of the wrong- 95.
doers."
88. So We responded to him and saved
him from the distress. And thus do We 96.
save the believers.
89. And [mention] Zechariah, when he
called to his Lord, "My Lord, do not 97.
leave me alone [with no heir], while
You are the best of inheritors."
90. So We responded to him, and We gave
to him John, and amended for him his
wife. Indeed, they used to hasten to
good deeds and supplicate Us in hope
and fear, and they were to Us humbly 98.
submissive.
91. And [mention] the one who guarded
her chastity [i.e., Mary], so We blew in-
to her [garment] through Our angel 99.
[i.e., Gabriel], and We made her and her
son a sign for the worlds.
And there is prohibition upon [the
people of] a city which We have de-
stroyed that they will [ever] return 842
Until when [the dam of] Gog and Ma-
gog has been opened and they, from
every elevation, descend
And [when] the true promise [i.e., the
resurrection] has approached; then
suddenly the eyes of those who disbe-
lieved will be staring [in horror, while
they say], "O woe to us; we had been
unmindful of this; rather, we were
wrongdoers."
Indeed, you [disbelievers] and what you
worship other than God are the fire-
wood of Hell. You will be coming to
[enter] it.
Had these [false deities] been [actual]
gods, they would not have come to it,
but all are eternal therein.
92. Indeed this, your religion, is one reli-
gion, 839 and I am your Lord, so worship
Me.
93. And [yet] they divided their affair [i.e.,
that of their relegion] among them-
selves, 840 [but] all to Us will return.
94. So whoever does righteous deeds while
he is a believer — no denial will there
be for his effort, 841 and indeed We [i.e.,
Our angels], of it, are recorders.
839 i.e., a collective way of life or course of con-
duct followed by a community.
840 Becoming sects and denominations.
841 Such a person will not be deprived of his due
reward.
100. For them therein is heavy sighing, and
they therein will not hear.
101. Indeed, those for whom the best [re-
ward] has preceded from Us — they
are from it far removed.
102. They will not hear its sound, while they
are, in that which their souls desire, ab-
iding eternally.
103. They will not be grieved by the greatest
terror, 843 and the angels will meet them,
[saying], "This is your Day which you
have been promised" -
1 04. The Day when We will fold the heaven
like the folding of a [written] sheet for
842 They cannot return to this world, nor can they
repent to God.
843 The events of the Last Hour or of the Resur-
rection.
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the records. As We began the first crea-
tion, We will repeat it. [That is] a prom-
ise binding upon Us. Indeed, We will
do it. 844
whose help is sought against that which
you describe." 849
105. And We have already written in the
book [of Psalms] 845 after the [previous]
mention 846 that the land [of Paradise] is
inherited by My righteous servants.
106. Indeed, in this [Qur'an] is notification
for a worshipping people.
107. And We have not sent you, [O Mu-
hammad], except as a mercy to the
worlds.
108. Say, "It is only revealed to me that your
god is but one God; so will you be
Muslims [in submission to Him]?"
109. But if they turn away, then say, "I have
announced to [all of] you equally. 847
And I know not whether near or far is
that which you are promised.
110. Indeed, He knows what is declared of
speech, and He knows what you con-
ceal.
111. And I know not; perhaps it 848 is a trial
for you and enjoyment for a time."
112. [The Prophet] has said, "My Lord,
judge [between us] in truth. And our
Lord is the Most Merciful, the one
844 More literally, "Indeed, We are ever doers" of
what We will.
84s y^^-Zabur can also mean "scriptures" in gener-
al.
846 i.e., the Torah. The "mention" may also refer
to the original inscription with God, i.e., the Pre-
served Slate (al-~Lan>h alMahfuth).
847 The Prophet made this message known to all
people, not concealing any of it from anyone or
preferring any group over another.
848 The postponement of punishment.
849 i.e., their lies and disbelief.
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Surah 22: al-Hajj
Period of Revelation
As this Surah contains the characteristics of both the Makki and the Madani Surahs the commentators have
differed as to its period of revelation but in the light of its style and themes we are of the opinion that a part
of it (v. 1 -24) was sent down in the last stage of the Makki life of the Prophet a little before migration and the
rest (v. 25-78) during the first stage of his Madani life. That is why this Surah combines the characteristics of
both the Makki and the Madani Surahs.
According to Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah and other great commentators, v. 39 is the first verse that grants
the Muslims permission to wage war. Collections of hadith and books on the life of the Prophet confirm that
after this permission actual preparations for war were started and the first expedition was sent to the coast of
the Red Sea in Safar 2 A.H. which is known as the Expedition of Waddan or Al-Abwa.
Subject Matter and Theme
This Surah is addressed to:
1 . The polytheists of Makkah
2. the wavering Muslims and
3. the True Believers.
The polytheists have been warned in a forceful manner to this effect: "You have obdurately and impudently
persisted in your ideas of ignorance and trusted in your deities instead of God though they possess no power
at all and you have repudiated the Divine Messenger. Now you will meet the same end as has been the doom
of those like you before. You have only harmed yourselves by rejecting Our Prophet and by persecuting the
best element of your own community; now your false deities shall not be able to save you from the wrath of
God." At the same time they have been admonished time and again for their creed of Shirk (polytheism) and
sound arguments have been given in favour of Tawhid and the Hereafter. The wavering Muslims who had
embraced Islam but were not prepared to endure any hardship in its way have been admonished to this ef-
fect: "What is this faith of yours? On the one hand you are ready to believe in God and become His servants
provided you are given peace and prosperity but on the other if you meet with afflictions and hardships in
His Way you discard your God and cease to remain His servant. You should bear in mind that this wavering
attitude of yours cannot avert those misfortunes and losses which God has ordained for you."
As regards the true Believers they have been addressed in two ways:
1 . in a general way so as to include the common people of Arabia also and
2. in an exclusive way.
The Believers have been told that the polytheists of Makkah had no right to debar them from visiting the
Holy Mosque. They had no right to prevent anyone from performing Hajj because the Holy Mosque was not
their private property. This objection was not only justified but it also acted as an effective political weapon
against the Quraysh. For it posed this question to the other clans of Arabia: Were the Quraysh mere atten-
dants of the Holy Mosque or its owners? It implied that if they succeeded in debarring the Muslims from
Hajj without any protest from others, they would feel encouraged in future to debar from Hajj and Umrah
the people of any other clan, who happened to have strained relations with the Quraysh. In order to emphas-
ize this point, the history of the construction of the Holy Mosque has been cited to show that it was built by
Prophet Abraham by the Command of God and he had invited all the peoples to perform Hajj there. That is
why those coming from outside had enjoyed equal rights by the local people from the very beginning. It has
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also been made clear that that House had not been built for the rituals of shirk but for the worship of One
God. Thus it was sheer tyranny that the worship of God was being forbidden there while the worship of
idols enjoyed full licence
In order to counteract the tyranny of the Quraysh, the Muslims were allowed to fight with them. They were
also given instructions to adopt the right and just attitude as and when they acquired power to rule in the
land. Moreover, the Believers have been officially given the name of "Muslims" saying, "You are the real
heirs to Abraham and you have been chosen to become witnesses of the Truth before mankind. Therefore
you should establish salat and pay the zakat dues in order to become the best models of righteous life and
perform Jihad for propagating the Word of God (v. 41,77, 78.) It will be worth while to keep in view the
introductions to Surahs 2 (al-Baqarah) and 8 (al Anfal).
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Surah 22: al-Hajj 850
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1 . O mankind, fear your Lord. Indeed, the
convulsion of the [final] Hour is a ter-
rible thing.
2. On the Day you see it every nursing
mother will be distracted from that
[child] she was nursing, and every
pregnant woman will abort her preg-
nancy, and you will see the people [ap-
pearing] intoxicated while they are not
intoxicated; but the punishment of
God is severe.
3. And of the people is he who disputes
about God without knowledge and fol-
lows every rebellious devil.
4. It has been decreed for him [i.e., every
devil] that whoever turns to him - he
will misguide him and will lead him to
the punishment of the Bla2e.
5. O People, if you should be in doubt
about the Resurrection, then [consider
that] indeed, We created you from dust,
then from a sperm-drop, then from a
clinging clot, and then from a lump of
flesh, formed and unformed 851 — that
We may show you. 852 And We setde in
the wombs whom We will for a speci-
fied term, then We bring you out as a
child, and then [We develop you] that
you may reach your [time of] maturity.
And among you is he who is taken in
[early] death, and among you is he who
is returned to the most decrepit [old]
age so that he knows, after [once hav-
10.
11.
12.
ing] knowledge, nothing. And you see
the earth barren, but when We send
down upon it rain, it quivers and swells
and grows [something] of every beauti-
ful kind.
That is because God is the Truth and
because He gives life to the dead and
because He is over all things competent
And [that they may know] that the
Hour is coming — no doubt about it —
and that God will resurrect those in the
graves.
And of the people is he who disputes
about God without knowledge or guid-
ance or an enlightening book [from
Him],
Twisting his neck [in arrogance] to mis-
lead [people] from the way of God. For
him in the world is disgrace, and We
will make him taste on the Day of Re-
surrection the punishment of the Burn-
ing Fire [while it is said],
"That is for what your hands have put
forth and because God is not ever un-
just to [His] servants."
And of the people is he who worships
God on an edge. 853 If he is touched by
good, he is reassured by it; but if he is
struck by trial, he turns on his face [to
the other direction]. He has lost [this]
world and the Hereafter. That is what
is the manifest loss.
He invokes instead of God that which
neither harms him nor benefits him.
That is what is the extreme error.
850 Al-Hajj: The pilgrimage.
851 That which is incomplete. This may include
what is aborted at that stage.
852 Our power and creative ability.
853 At the edge of his religion, so to speak, i.e..
with uncertainty, hypocrisy or heedlessness.
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13. He invokes one whose harm is closer
than his benefit — how wretched the
protector and how wretched the asso-
ciate.
14. Indeed, God will admit those who be-
lieve and do righteous deeds to gardens
beneath which rivers flow. Indeed,
God does what He intends.
15. Whoever should think that God will
not support him [i.e., Prophet Mu-
hammad] in this world and the Hereaf-
ter — let him extend a rope to the ceil-
ing, then cut off [his breath], 854 and let
him see: will his effort remove that
which enrages [him]?
19. These 856 are two adversaries who have
disputed over their Lord. But those
who disbelieved will have cut out for
them garments of fire. Poured upon
their heads will be scalding water
20. By which is melted that within their
bellies and [their] skins.
21. And for [striking] them are maces of
iron.
22. Every time they want to get out of it
[i.e., Hellfire] from anguish, they will be
returned to it, and [it will be said],
"Taste the punishment of the Burning
Fire!"
16. And thus have We sent it [i.e., the
Qur'an] down as verses of clear evi-
dence and because God guides whom
He intends.
17. Indeed, those who have believed and
those who were Jews and the Sabeans
and the Christians and the Magians and
those who associated with God - God
will judge between them on the Day of
Resurrection. Indeed God is, over all
things, Witness.
18. Do you not see [i.e., know] that to God
prostrates whoever is in the heavens
and whoever is on the earth and the
sun, the moon, the stars, the moun-
tains, the trees, the moving creatures
and many of the people? But upon
many the punishment has been justi-
fied. 855 And he whom God humiliates —
for him there is no bestower of ho-
nour. Indeed, God does what He wills.
854 i.e., strangle himself.
853 And therefore decreed.
23. Indeed, God will admit those who be-
lieve and do righteous deeds to gardens
beneath which rivers flow. They will be
adorned therein with bracelets of gold
and pearl, and their garments therein
will be silk.
24. And they had been guided [in worldly
life] to good speech, and they were
guided to the path of the Praiseworthy.
25. Indeed, those who have disbelieved
and avert [people] from the way of
God and [from] al-Masjid al-Haram,
which We made for the people — equal
are the resident therein and one from
outside - and [also] whoever intends [a
deed] therein 857 of deviation [in reli-
gion] or wrongdoing — We will make
him taste of a painful punishment.
26. And [mention, O Muhammad], when
We designated for Abraham the site of
856 i.e., the believers and the disbelievers.
857 Whether inside its boundaries or intending
from afar to do evil therein. The Haram is unique
in that the mere intention of sin therein (whether
or not it is actually carried out) is sufficient to
bring punishment from God.
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the House, [saying], "Do not associate
anything with Me and purify My House
for those who perform tawaf 858 and
those who stand [in prayer] and those
who bow and prostrate.
27. And proclaim to the people the hajj
[pilgrimage]; they will come to you on
foot and on every lean camel; they will
come from every distant pass —
28. That they may witness [i.e., attend]
benefits for themselves and mention
the name of God on known [i.e., spe-
cific] days over what He has provided
for them of [sacrificial] animals. 859 So
eat of them and feed the miserable and
poor.
29. Then let them end their untidiness and
fulfill their vows and perform tawaf
around the ancient House."
30. That [has been commanded], and
whoever honours the sacred ordinances
of God — it is best for him in the sight
of his Lord. And permitted to you are
the grazing livestock, except what is re-
cited to you. 860 So avoid the uncleanli-
ness of idols and avoid false statement,
31. Inclining [only] to God, not associating
[anything] with Him. And he who asso-
ciates with God — it is as though he had
fallen from the sky and was snatched
by the birds or the wind carried him
down into a remote place.
32. That [is so]. And whoever honours the
symbols [i.e., rites] of God - indeed, it
is from the piety of hearts.
33. For you therein [i.e., the animals
marked for sacrifice] are benefits for a
specified term; 861 then their place of sa-
crifice is at the ancient House. 862
34. And for all religion We have appointed
a rite [of sacrifice] 863 that they may
mention the name of God over what
He has provided for them of [sacrifi-
cial] animals. For your god is one God,
so to Him submit. And, [O Muham-
mad], give good tidings to the humble
[before their Lord]
35. Who, when God is mentioned, their
hearts are fearful, and [to] the patient
over what has afflicted them, and the
establishers of prayer and those who
spend from what We have provided
them.
36. And the camels and cattle We have
appointed for you as among the sym-
bols [i.e., rites] of God; for you therein
is good. So mention the name of God
upon them when lined up [for sacri-
fice]; and when they are pifeless] on
their sides, then eat from them and
feed the needy [who does not seek aid]
and the beggar. Thus have We sub-
jected them to you that you may be
grateful.
37. Their meat will not reach God, nor will
their blood, but what reaches Him is
piety from you. Thus have We sub-
jected them to you that you may glorify
God for that [to] which He has guided
you; and give good tidings to the doers
of good.
858 See footnote to 2:125.
859 Al-An'dnr. camels, cattle, sheep and goats.
860 See 5:3.
861 i.e., they may be milked or ridden (in the case
of camels) before the time of slaughter.
862 i.e., within the boundaries of the Haram,
which includes Mina.
863 i.e., the right to sacrifice has always been a part
of God's revealed religion.
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38. Indeed, God defends those who have
believed. Indeed, God does not like
everyone treacherous and ungrateful.
39. Permission [to fight] has been given to
those who are being fought, 864 because
they were wronged. And indeed, God
is competent to give them victory.
40. [They are] those who have been evicted
from their homes without right — only
because they say, "Our Lord is God."
And were it not that God checks the
people, some by means of others, there
would have been demolished monaste-
ries, churches, synagogues, and mos-
ques in which the name of God is
much mentioned [i.e., praised]. And
God will surely support those who
support Him [i.e., His cause]. Indeed,
God is Powerful and Exalted in Might.
41. [And they are] those who, if We give
them authority in the land, establish
prayer and give zakah and enjoin what
is right and forbid what is wrong. And
to God belongs the outcome of [all]
matters.
42. And if they deny you, [O Muhammad]
- so, before them, did the people of
Noah and Aad and Thamud deny
[their prophets],
43. And the people of Abraham and the
people of Lot
44. And the inhabitants of Madyan. And
Moses was denied, so I prolonged en-
joyment for the disbelievers; then I
seized them, and how [terrible] was My
reproach.
45. And how many a city did We destroy
while it was committing wrong — so it
864 Referring here to the Prophet's companions.
is [now] fallen into ruin 865 — and [how
many] an abandoned well and [how
many] a lofty palace. 866
46. So have they not traveled through the
earth and have hearts by which to rea-
son and ears by which to hear? For in-
deed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but
blinded are the hearts which are within
the breasts.
47. And they urge you to hasten the pu-
nishment. But God will never fail in
His promise. And indeed, a day with
your Lord is like a thousand years of
those which you count.
48. And for how many a city did I prolong
enjoyment while it was committing
wrong. Then I seized it, and to Me is
the [final] destination.
49. Say, "O people, I am only to you a
clear warner."
50. And those who have believed and done
righteous deeds — for them is forgive-
ness and noble provision.
51. But the ones who strove against Our
verses, [seeking] to cause failure 867 —
those are the companions of Hellfire.
52. And We did not send before you any
messenger or prophet except that when
he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into
it [some misunderstanding]. But God
abolishes that which Satan throws in;
865 Literally, "fallen in upon its roofs," i.e., after
the roofs of its buildings had caved in, the walls
collapsed over them.
866 i.e., How many wells have been left inopera-
tive, and how many palaces have been emptied of
their occupants in the past.
867 i.e., trying to undermine their credibility and
thereby defeat the Prophet.
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then God makes precise His verses. 868
And God is Knowing and Wise.
53. [That is] so He may make what Satan
throws in [i.e., asserts] a trial for those
within whose hearts is disease 869 and
those hard of heart. And indeed, the
wrongdoers are in extreme dissension.
54. And so those who were given know-
ledge may know that it is the truth
from your Lord and [therefore] believe
in it, and their hearts humbly submit to
it. And indeed is God the Guide of
those who have believed to a straight
path.
55. But those who disbelieve will not cease
to be in doubt of it until the Hour
comes upon them unexpectedly or
there comes to them the punishment of
a barren Day. 870
56. [All] sovereignty that Day is for
God; 871 He will judge between them.
So they who believed and did righteous
deeds will be in the Gardens of Plea-
sure.
57. And they who disbelieved and denied
Our signs — for those there will be a
humiliating punishment.
58. And those who emigrated for the cause
of God and then were killed or died —
God will surely provide for them a
good provision. And indeed, it is God
who is the best of providers.
59. He will surely cause them to enter an
entrance with which they will be
pleased, and indeed, God is Knowing
and Forbearing.
60. That [is so]. And whoever responds [to
injustice] with the equivalent of that
with which he was harmed and then is
tyrannized — God will surely aid him.
Indeed, God is Pardoning and Forgiv-
ing. 872
61. That 873 is because God causes the night
to enter the day and causes the day to
enter the night and because God is
Hearing and Seeing.
62. That is because God is the Truth, and
that which they call upon other than
Him is falsehood, and because God is
the Most High, the Grand.
63. Do you not see that God has sent
down rain from the sky and the earth
becomes green? Indeed, God is Subtle
and Acquainted. 874
64. To Him belongs what is in the heavens
and what is on the earth. And indeed,
God is the Free of need, the Praisewor-
thy.
65. Do you not see that God has subjected
to you whatever is on the earth and the
ships which run through the sea by His
command? And He restrains the sky
from falling upon the earth, unless by
His permission. Indeed God, to the
people, is Kind and Merciful.
868 Clarifying those issues which were misunders-
tood to remove any doubt.
869 See footnote to 2:10.
870 One which will not be followed by night and
therefore will not give birth to a new day, refer-
ring to the Day of Resurrection.
871 None will compete with Him for authority at
that time.
872 In spite of His ability to take vengeance. The
statement contains a suggestion that the believers
pardon as well.
873 i.e., God's capability to give assistance or vic-
tory to the oppressed.
874 With His creation and with the needs of His
creatures.
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66. And He is the one who gave you life; 73.
then He causes you to die and then will
[again] give you life. Indeed, mankind is
ungrateful.
67. For every religion We have appointed
rites which they perform. So, [O Mu-
hammad], let them [i.e., the disbeliev-
ers] not contend with you over the
matter but invite them to your Lord. 74.
Indeed, you are upon straight guidance.
68. And if they dispute with you, then say,
"God is most knowing of what you do. 75.
69. God will judge between you on the
Day of Resurrection concerning that
over which you used to differ." 76.
70. Do you not know that God knows
what is in the heaven and earth? In-
deed, that is in a Record. 875 Indeed that,
for God, is easy. 77.
71. And they worship besides God that for
which He has not sent down authority
and that of which they have no know- 78.
ledge. And there will not be for the
wrongdoers any helper.
72. And when Our verses are recited to
them as clear evidences, you recogni2e
in the faces of those who disbelieve
disapproval. They are almost on the
verge of assaulting those who recite to
them Our verses. Say, "Then shall I in-
form you of [what is] worse than
that? 876 [It is] the Fire which God has
promised those who disbelieve, and
wretched is the destination."
O people, an example is presented, so
listen to it. Indeed, those you invoke
besides God will never create [as much
as] a fly, even if they gathered together
for it [i.e., that purpose]. And if the fly
should steal from them a [tiny] thing,
they could not recover it from him.
Weak are the pursuer and pursued. 877
They have not appraised God with true
appraisal. 878 Indeed, God is Powerful
and Exalted in Might.
God chooses from the angels messen-
gers and from the people. Indeed, God
is Hearing and Seeing.
He knows what is [presently] before
them and what will be after them. 879
And to God will be returned [all] mat-
ters.
O you who have believed, bow and
prostrate and worship your Lord and
do good — that you may succeed.
And strive for God with the striving
due to Him. He has chosen you and
has not placed upon you in the religion
any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your
father, Abraham. He [i.e., God] named
you "Muslims" before [in former scrip-
tures] and in this [revelation] that the
Messenger may be a witness over you
and you may be witnesses over the
people. So establish prayer and give
zakah and hold fast to God. He is your
protector; and excellent is the protec-
tor, and excellent is the helper.
875 The Preserved Slate {al-hawh al-MahfittB),
which is with God.
876 i.e., worse than the rage you feel against those
who recite God's verses or worse than your
threats against them.
877 A comparison is made here to the worshipper
of a false deity and that which he worships.
878 They have not assessed Him with the assess-
ment due to Him, meaning that they did not take
into account His perfect attributes.
879 See footnote to 2:255.
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Surah 23: al-Mu'minun
Period of Revelation
Both its style and theme indicate that it was revealed during the middle stage of Prophethood at Makkah.
Reading between the lines one feels that a bitter conflict had begun between the Prophet and the disbelievers
of Makkah though the persecution by them had not yet become tyrannical. It appears that the Surah was sent
down during the climax of the "Famine" in Makkah (v. 75-76) which according to authentic traditions oc-
curred during the middle stage of Prophethood. Moreover, according to a tradition related by 'Urwah bin
Zubair, Hadarat Umar who had embraced Islam by that time said, 'This Surah was revealed in my presence and I
myself observed the state of the Holy Prophet during its revelation. When the revelation ended the Holy Prophet remarked 'On
this occasion ten such verses have been sent down to me that the one who measures up to them will most surely go to Paradise'.
Then he recited the initial verses of the Surah. (Ahmad and Tirmidhi)
Theme Topics
The central theme of the Surah is to invite the people to accept and follow the Message of the Prophet and
the whole Surah revolves round this theme.
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Surah 23: al-Mu'minun 880
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. Certainly will the believers have suc-
ceeded:
14. Then We made the sperm-drop into a
clinging clot, and We made the clot into
a lump [of flesh], and We made [from]
the lump, bones, and We covered the
bones with flesh; then We developed
him into another creation. So blessed is
God, the best of creators. 884
2. They who are during their prayer hum-
bly submissive
3. And they who turn away from ill
speech
4. And they who are observant of 2akah
5. And they who guard their private parts
6. Except from their wives or those their
right hands possess, 881 for indeed, they
will not be blamed -
7. But whoever seeks beyond that, then
those are the transgressors —
8. And they who are to their trusts and
their promises attentive
9. And they who carefully maintain their
prayers —
1 0. Those are the inheritors
1 1 . Who will inherit al-Firdaus. 882 They will
abide therein eternally.
12. And certainly did We create man from
an extract of clay.
13. Then We placed him as a sperm-
drop 883 in a firm lodging [i.e., the
womb] .
880 Al- Mu'miniin: The Believers.
881 Female slaves or captives under their owner-
ship.
882 The highest part of Paradise.
15. Then indeed, after that you are to die.
16. Then indeed you, on the Day of Resur-
rection, will be resurrected.
17. And We have created above you seven
layered heavens, and never have We
been of [Our] creation unaware.
18. And We have sent down rain from the
sky in a measured amount and settled it
in the earth. And indeed, We are Able
to take it away.
19. And We brought forth for you thereby
gardens of palm trees and grapevines in
which for you are abundant fruits and
from which you eat.
20. And [We brought forth] a tree issuing
from Mount Sinai which produces oil
and food [i.e., olives] for those who eat.
21. And indeed, for you in livestock is a
lesson. We give you drink from that
which is in their bellies, and for you in
them are numerous benefits, and from
them you eat.
22. And upon them and on ships you are
carried.
23. And We had certainly sent Noah to his
people, and he said, "O my people,
worship God; you have no deity other
than Him; then will you not fear Him?"
883 Q r " as a zygote."
884 i.e., the most skilful and only true Creator.
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23: The Believers
24. But the eminent among those who dis-
believed from his people said, "This is
not but a man like yourselves who
wishes to take precedence over you;
and if God had willed [to send a mes-
senger], He would have sent down an-
gels. We have not heard of this among
our forefathers.
25. He is not but a man possessed with
madness, so wait concerning him for a
time."
32. And We sent among them a messen-
ger 886 from themselves, [saying], "Wor-
ship God; you have no deity other than
Him; then will you not fear Him?"
33. And the eminent among his people
who disbelieved and denied the meet-
ing of the Hereafter while We had giv-
en them luxury in the worldly life said,
"This is not but a man like yourselves.
He eats of that from which you eat and
drinks of what you drink.
26. [Noah] said, "My Lord, support me 34.
because they have denied me."
27. So We inspired to him, "Construct the
ship under Our observation, and Our 35.
inspiration, and when Our command
comes and the oven overflows, 885 put
into it [i.e., the ship] from each [crea-
ture] two mates and your family, except
those for whom the decree [of destruc- 36.
tion] has proceeded. And do not ad-
dress Me concerning those who have
wronged; indeed, they are to be 37.
drowned.
28. And when you have boarded the ship,
you and those with you, then say, 38.
'Praise to God who has saved us form
the wrongdoing people.'
And if you should obey a man like
yourselves, indeed, you would then be
losers.
Does he promise you that when you
have died and become dust and bones
that you will be brought forth [once
more]?
How far, how far, is that which you are
promised. 887
It [i.e., life] is not but our worldly life —
we die and live, but we will not be re-
surrected.
He is not but a man who has invented a
lie about God, and we will not believe
him."
29. And say, 'My Lord, let me land at a
blessed landing place, and You are the
best to accommodate [us].' "
30. Indeed in that are signs, and indeed,
We are ever testing [Our servants].
3 1 . Then We produced after them a gener-
ation of others.
39. He said, "My Lord, support me because
they have denied me."
40. [God] said, "After a little, they will
surely become regretful."
41. So the shriek 888 seized them in truth, 889
and We made them as [plant] stubble.
885 See footnote to 11:40.
886 Prophet Hud, who was sent to the tribe of
'Aad.
887 i.e., how distant and improbable it is.
888 See footnote to 11:67.
889 i.e., by right or in justice.
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Then away with the wrongdoing
people.
42. Then We produced after them other
generations.
43. No nation will precede its time [of ter-
mination], nor will they remain [the-
reafter] .
44. Then We sent Our messengers in suc-
cession. Every time there came to a na-
tion its messenger, they denied him, so
We made them follow one another [to
destruction], and We made them narra-
tions. 890 So away with a people who do
not believe.
45. Then We sent Moses and his brother
Aaron with Our signs and a clear au-
thority
46. To Pharaoh and his establishment, but
they were arrogant and were a haughty
people.
47. They said, "Should we believe two men
like ourselves while their people are for
us in servitude?"
48. So they denied them and were of those
destroyed.
49. And We certainly gave Moses the
Scripture that perhaps they 891 would be
guided.
50. And We made the son of Mary and his
mother a sign and sheltered them with-
in a high ground having level [areas]
and flowing water.
51. [God said], "O messengers, eat from
the good foods and work righteous-
890 i.e., history or lessons for mankind.
891 The Children of Israel.
ness. Indeed I, of what you do, am
Knowing.
52. And indeed this, your religion, is one
religion, 892 and I am your Lord, so fear
Me."
53. But they [i.e., the people] divided their
religion among them into portions [i.e.,
sects] - each faction, in what it has, 893
rejoicing.
54. So leave them in their confusion for a
time.
55. Do they think that what We extend to
them of wealth and children
56. Is [because] We hasten for them good
things? Rather, they do not perceive. 894
57. Indeed, they who are apprehensive
from fear of their Lord
58. And they who believe in the signs of
their Lord
59. And they who do not associate any-
thing with their Lord
60. And they who give what they give while
their hearts are fearful 895 because they
will be returning to their Lord —
61. It is those who hasten to good deeds,
and they outstrip [others] therein.
62. And We charge no soul except [with
that within] its capacity, and with Us is
a record which speaks with truth; and
they will not be wronged.
892 See footnote to 21:92.
893 Of beliefs, opinions, customs, etc.
894 That the good things given to them in this
world are but a trial for them.
895 Lest their deeds not be acceptable.
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23: The Believers
63. But their hearts are covered with con-
fusion over this, and they have [evil]
deeds besides that [i.e., disbelief] which
they are doing,
72. Or do you, [O Muhammad], ask them
for payment? But the reward of your
Lord is best, and He is the best of pro-
viders.
64. Until when We seize their affluent ones
with punishment, 896 at once they are
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
crying [to God] for help.
Do not cry out today. Indeed, by Us
you will not be helped.
My verses had already been recited to
you, but you were turning back on your
heels
In arrogance regarding it, 897 conversing
by night, speaking evil.
Then have they not reflected over the
word [i.e., the Qur'an], or has there
come to them that which had not come
to their forefathers?
Or did they not know their Messenger,
so they are toward him disacknowledg-
ing?
Or do they say, "In him is madness?"
Rather, he brought them the truth, but
most of them, to the truth, are averse.
But if the Truth [i.e., God] had fol-
lowed their inclinations, the heavens
and the earth and whoever is in them
would have been ruined. Rather, We
have brought them their message, 898
but they, from their message, are turn-
ing away.
896 In worldly life, before the punishment of the
Hereafter. Although general, the description in-
cludes specifically the punishment of the Quraysh
by famine.
897 The revelation. Or "him," i.e., the Prophet.
898 Q r "reminder."
73. And indeed, you invite them to a
straight path.
74. But indeed, those who do not believe
in the Hereafter are deviating from the
path.
75. And even if We gave them mercy and
removed what was upon them of afflic-
tion, they would persist in their trans-
gression, wandering blindly.
76. And We had gripped them with suffer-
ing [as a warning], but they did not
yield to their Lord, nor did they humbly
supplicate, [and will continue thus]
77. Until when We have opened before
them a door of severe punishment,
immediately they will be therein in des-
pair.
78. And it is He who produced for you
hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intel-
lect]; little are you grateful.
79. And it is He who has multiplied you
throughout the earth, and to Him you
will be gathered.
80. And it is He who gives life and causes
death, and His is the alternation of the
night and the day. Then will you not
reason?
81. Rather, 899 they say like what the former
peoples said.
899 Instead of understanding or reasoning.
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23: The Believers
82. They said, "When we have died and
become dust and bones, are we indeed
to be resurrected?
83. We have been promised this, we and
our forefathers, before; this is not but
legends of the former peoples."
84. Say, [O Muhammad], "To whom be-
longs the earth and whoever is in it, if
you should know?"
85. They will say, "To God." Say, "Then
will you not remember?"
86. Say, "Who is Lord of the seven heavens
and Lord of the Great Throne?"
87. They will say, "[They belong] to God."
Say, "Then will you not fear Him?"
88. Say, "In whose hand is the realm of all
things — and He protects while none
can protect against Him — if you should
know?"
94. My Lord, then do not place me among
the wrongdoing people."
95. And indeed, We are able to show you
what We have promised them.
96. Repel, by [means of] what is best,
[their] evil. We are most knowing of
what they describe.
97. And say, "My Lord, I seek refuge in
You from the incitements of the devils,
98. And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest
they be present with me."
99. [For such is the state of the disbeliev-
ers], until, when death comes to one of
them, he says, "My Lord, send me back
100. That I might do righteousness in that
which I left behind." 900 No! It is only a
word he is saying; and behind them is a
barrier until the Day they are resur-
rected.
89. They will say, "[All belongs] to God."
Say, "Then how are you deluded?"
90. Rather, We have brought them the
truth, and indeed they are liars.
91. God has not taken any son, nor has
there ever been with Him any deity. [If
there had been], then each deity would
have taken what it created, and some of
them would have sought to overcome
others. Exalted is God above what they
describe [concerning Him],
92. [He is] Knower of the unseen and the
witnessed, so high is He above what
they associate [with Him],
101. So when the Horn is blown, no rela-
tionship will there be among them that
Day, nor will they ask about one anoth-
1 02. And those whose scales are heavy [with
good deeds] — it is they who are the
successful.
103. But those whose scales are light — those
are the ones who have lost their souls,
[being] in Hell, abiding eternally.
104. The Fire will sear their faces, and they
therein will have taut smiles. 901
93. Say, [O Muhammad], "My Lord, if You
should show me that which they are
promised,
900 Q r "j n that which I neglected."
901 Their lips having been contracted by scorching
until the teeth are exposed.
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23: The Believers
105. [It will be said]. "Were not My verses
recited to you and you used to deny
them?"
106. They will say, "Our Lord, our wret-
chedness overcame us, and we were a
people astray.
107. Our Lord, remove us from it, and if we
were to return [to evil], we would in-
deed be wrongdoers."
108. He will say, "Remain despised therein
and do not speak to Me.
117. And whoever invokes besides God
another deity for which he has no
proof — then his account is only with
his Lord. Indeed, the disbelievers will
not succeed.
118. And, [O Muhammad], say, "My Lord,
forgive and have mercy, and You are
the best of the merciful."
109. Indeed, there was a party of My ser-
vants who said, 'Our Lord, we have be-
lieved, so forgive us and have mercy
upon us, and You are the best of the
merciful.'
110. But you took them in mockery to the
point that they made you forget My
remembrance, and you used to laugh at
them.
111. Indeed, I have rewarded them this Day
for their patient endurance — that they
are the attainers [of success]."
112. [God] will say, "How long did you re-
main on earth in number of years?"
113. They will say, "We remained a day or
part of a day; ask those who enume-
rate."
114. He will say, "You stayed not but a little
— if only you had known.
115. Then did you think that We created you
uselessly and that to Us you would not
be returned?"
116. So exalted is God, the Sovereign, the
Truth; there is no deity except Him,
Lord of the Noble Throne.
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Surah 24: an-Nur
Period of Revelation
The consensus of opinion is that it was sent down after the Campaign against Bani al-Mustaliq and this is
confirmed by v. 11-20 that deal with the incident of the "Slander" which occurred during that Campaign. But
there is a difference of opinion as to whether this Campaign took place in 5 A.H. before the Battle of the
Trench or in 6 A.H. after it.
Historical Background
Now let us review the circumstances existing at the time of the revelation of this Surah. It should be kept in
mind that the incident of the "Slander" which was the occasion of its revelation was closely connected with
the conflict between Islam and the disbelievers.
After the victory at Badr the Islamic movement began to gain strength day by day; so much so that by the
time of the Battle of the Trench it had become so strong that the united forces of the enemy numbering
about ten thousand failed to crush it and had to raise the siege of Madinah after one month. It meant this
and both the parties understood it well that the war of aggression which the Disbelievers had been waging
for several years had come to an end. The Prophet himself declared: "After this year the Quraysh will not be able to
attackyou; now you will take the offensive. "
When the disbelievers realized that they could not defeat Islam on the battlefield they chose the moral front
to carry on the conflict. It cannot be said with certainty whether this change of tactics was the outcome of
deliberate consultations or it was the inevitable result of the humiliating retreat in the Battle of the Trench
for which all the available forces of the enemy had been concentrated: They knew it well that the rise of
Islam was not due to the numerical strength of the Muslims, nor to their superior arms and ammunition and
not to their greater material resources; nay the Muslims were fighting against fearful odds on all these fronts.
They owed their success to their moral superiority. Their enemies realized that the pure and noble qualities
of the Prophet and his followers were capturing the hearts of the people and were also binding them togeth-
er into a highly disciplined community. As a result of this they were defeating the polytheists and the Jews
both on the peace and on the war front because the latter lacked discipline and character.
Under the above mentioned circumstances the wicked designs of the disbelievers led them to start a cam-
paign of vilification against the Prophet and the Muslims in order to destroy the bulwark of morale that was
helping them to defeat their enemies. Therefore the strategy was to attain the assistance of the hypocrites to
spread slanders against the Prophet and his followers so that the polytheists and the Jews could exploit these
to sow the seeds of discord among the Muslims and undermine their discipline.
The first opportunity for the use of the new strategy was afforded in Dhul-Qa'dah 5 A.H. when the Prophet
married Zainab (daughter of Jahsh) who was the divorced wife of his adopted son Zayd bin Harithah. The
Prophet had arranged this marriage in order to put an end to the custom of ignorance which gave the same
status to the adopted son that was the right only of the son from one's own loins. The hypocrites however
considered it a golden opportunity to vilify the Prophet from inside the community and the Jews and the
polytheists exploited it from outside to ruin his high reputation by this malicious slander. For this purpose
fantastic stories were concocted and spread to this effect: "One day Muhammad happened to see the wife of his
adopted son and fell in love with her; he manouvered her divorce and married her. " Though this was an absurd fiction it
was spread with such skill, cunning and artfulness that it succeeded in its purpose; so much so that some
Muslim traditionalists and commentators also have cited some parts of it in their writings and the orientalists
have exploited these fully to vilify the Prophet. As a matter of fact Zainab was never a stranger to the Proph-
et that he should see her by chance and fall in love with her at first sight. For she was his first cousin being
the daughter of his real paternal aunt Umaimah daughter of Abdul Muttalib. He had known her from her
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childhood to her youth. A year before this incident, he himself had persuaded her against her will to marry
Zayd in order to demonstrate practically that the Quraysh and the liberated slaves were equal as human be-
ing. As she never reconciled herself to her marriage, they could not pull on together for long, which inevita-
bly led to her divorce. The above mentioned facts were well known to all, yet the slanderers succeeded in
their false propaganda with the result that even today there are people who exploit these things to defame
Islam
The second slander was made on the honour of A'isha, a wife of the Prophet, in connection with an incident
which occurred while he was returning from the Campaign against Bani al-Mustaliq. As this attack was even
severer than the first one and was the main background of this Surah, we shall deal with it in greater detail.
Let us say a few words about Abdullah bin Ubayy, who played the part of a villain in this attack. He belonged
to the clan of Khazraj and was one of the most important chiefs of Madinah. The people had even intended
to make him their king a little before the Prophet's migration there, but the scheme had to be dropped be-
cause of the changed circumstances. Though he had embraced Islam, he remained at heart a hypocrite and
his hypocrisy was so manifest that he was called the "Chief of the Hypocrites." He never lost any opportuni-
ty to slander Islam in order to take his revenge.
Now the main theme. When in Sha'aban 6 A.H. the Prophet learned that the people of Bani al-Mustaliq were
making preparations for a war against the Muslims and were trying to muster other clans also for this pur-
pose, he fore-stalled and took the enemy by surprise. After capturing the people of the clan and their belong-
ings, the Prophet made a halt near Muraisi, a spring in their territory. One day a dispute concerning taking
water from the spring started between a servant of Umar and an ally of the clan of Khazraj, and developed
into a quarrel between the Muhajirs (immigrants) and the Ansar (Muslims of Madina), but was soon settled.
This, however, did not suit the strategy of Abdullah bin Ubayy, who also had joined the expedition with a
large number of hypocrites. So he began to incite the Ansar, saying, 'You yourselves brought these people of the
Quraysh from Makkah and made them partners in your wealth and properly. And now they have become your rivals and want
domination over you. If even now you withdraw your support from them, they shall be forced to leave your city." Then he
swore and declared, "As soon as we reach back Madinah, the respectable people will turn out the degraded people from the
city. "
When the Prophet came to know of this, he ordered the people to set off immediately and march back to
Madinah. The forced march continued up to noon the next day without a halt on the way so that the people
became exhausted and had no time for idle talk.
Though this wise judgment and quick action by the Prophet averted the undesirable consequences of the
mischief, Abdullah bin Ubayy got another opportunity for doing a far more serious and greater mischief, i.e.
by engineering a "Slander" against A'isha, for that was a mischief which might well have involved the young
Muslim Community in a civil war, if the Prophet and his sincere and devoted followers had not shown wis-
dom, forbearance and marvelous discipline in dealing with it. In order to understand the events that led to
the incident of the "Slander," we cite the story in A'isha's own words. She says "Whenever the Holy Prophet went
out on a journey, he decided by lots as to which of his wives should accompany him. Accordingly, it was decided that I should
accompany him during the expedition to Bani al-Mustaliq. On the return journey, the Holy Prophet halted for the night at a
place which was the last stage on the way back to Madinah . It was still night, when they began to make preparations for the
march. So I went outside the camp to ease myself. When I returned and came near my halting place, I noticed that my necklace
had fallen down somewhere. I went back in search for it but in the meantime the caravan moved off and I was left behind all
alone. The four carriers of the litter had placed it on my camel without noticing that it was empty. This happened because of my
light weight due to lack of food in those days. I wrapped myself in my sheet and lay down in the hope that when it would be
found that I had been left behind, a search party would come back to pick me up. In the meantime I fell asleep. In the morning,
when Safwan bin Mu'attal Sulami passed that way, he saw me and recognised me for he had seen me several times before the
Commandment about purdah had been sent down. No sooner did he see me than he stopped his camel and cried out sponta-
neously : 'How sad! The wife of the Holy Prophet has been left here!" At this I woke up all of a sudden and covered my face
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with my sheet. Without uttering another word, he made his camel kneel by me and stood aside, while I climbed on to the camel
back. He led the camel by the nose-string and we overtook the caravan at about noon, when it had just halted and nobody had
yet noticed that I had been left behind. I learnt afterwards that this incident had been used to slander me and Abdullah bin
Ubayy was foremost among the slanderers. " (According to other traditions, when A'isha reached the camp on the
camel, led by Safwan, and it was known that she had been left behind, Abdullah bin Ubayy cried out, 'By God,
she could not have remained chaste. Hook, there comes the wife of your Prophet openly on the camel led by the person with whom
she passed the night. *)
"When I reached Madinah, I fell ill and stayed in bed for more than a month. Though I was quite unaware of it, the news of
the "Slander" was spreading like a scandal in the city, and had also reached the Holy Prophet. Anyhow, I noticed that he did
not seem as concerned about my illness as he used to be. He would come but without addressing me directly, would inquire from
others how I was and leave the house. Therefore it troubled my mind that something had gone wrong somewhere. So I took leave
of him and went to my mother's house for better nursing. While I was there, one night I went out of the city to ease myself in the
company ofMistah's mother, who was a first cousin of my mother. As she was walking along she stumbled over something and
cried out spontaneously, 'May Mistah perish!' To this I retorted, What a good mother you are that you curse your own son, the
son who took part in the Battle ofBadr. ' She replied, 'My dear daughter, are you not aware of his scandal mongering?' Then she
told me everything about the campaign of the 'Slander'. Hearing this horrible story, my blood curdled, and I immediately re-
turned home, and passed the rest of the night in crying over it.
"During my absence the Holy Prophet took counsel with Ali and Usamah bin Zayd about this matter. Usamah said good
words about me to this effect: 'O Messenger of God, we have found nothing but good in your wife. All that is being spread about
her is a lie and calumny.' As regards Ali, he said, 'O Messenger of God, there is no dearth of women; you may, if you like,
marry another wife. If however, you would like to investigate into the matter, you may send for her maid servant and inquire
into it through her. 'Accordingly, the maid servant was sent for and questioned. She replied, 1 declare on an oath by God, Who
has sent you with the Truth, that I have never seen any evil thing in her, except that she falls asleep when I tell her to look after
the kneaded dough in my absence and a goat comes and eats it. ' On that same day the Holy Prophet addressed the people from
the pulpit, saying: 'O Muslims, who from amongyou will defend my honour against the attacker of the person who has trans-
gressed all bounds in doing harm to me by slandering my wife. By God, I have made a thorough inquiry and found nothing
wrong with her nor with the man, whose name has been linked with the "Slander". ' At this Usaid bin Hudair (or Sa'd bin
Mau%) according to other traditions) stood up and said, 'O Messenger of God, if that person belongs to our clan, we will kill
him by ourselves, but if he belongs to the Kha^raj clan, we will kill him if you order us to do so. ' Hearing this Sa'd bin IJba-
dah, chief of the Kha^raj clan, stood up and said, You lie you can never kill him. You are saying this just because the person
belongs to our clan ofKha^raj. Had he belonged to your clan, you would never have said so. ' Usaid retorted, You are a hypo-
crite: that is why you are defending a hypocrite. ' At this, there was a general turmoil in the mosque, which would have developed
into a riot, even though the Holy Prophet was present there the whole time. But he cooled down their anger and came down from
the pulpit."
Let us point out the enormity of the mischief that was engineered by Abdullah bin Ubayy:
1 . It implied an attack on the honour of the Prophet and Abu Bakr Siddiq.
2. He meant to undermine the high moral superiority which was the greatest asset of the Islamic
Movement.
3. He intended to ignite civil war between the Muhajirs and the Ansar, and between Aus and Khazraj,
the two clans of the Ansar.
Themes and Topics
This Surah and v. 28-73 of Surah al-Ahzab (of which this is the sequel) were sent down to strengthen the
moral front, which at that time was the main target of the attack, v. 28-73 of al-Ahzab were sent down con-
cerning the Prophet's marriage with Zainab, and on the occasion of the second attack (the "Slander" about
A'isha), Surah An-Nur was sent down to repair the cracks that had appeared in the unity of the Muslim
Community. If we keep this in view during the study of the two Surahs, we shall understand the wisdom that
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underlies the Commandments about the Veil. God sent the following instructions to strengthen and safe-
guard the moral front, and to counteract the storm of propaganda that was raised on the occasion of the
marriage of Zainab:
1. The wives of the Prophet were enjoined to remain within their private quarters, to avoid display of
adornments and to be cautious in their talk with other persons (v. 32, 33).
2. The other Muslims were forbidden to enter the private rooms of the Prophet and instructed to ask
whatever they wanted from behind the curtain (v. 53).
3. A line of demarcation was drawn between the mahram and the non-mahram relatives. Only the
former were allowed to enter the private rooms of those wives of the Prophet with whom they
were so closely related as to prohibit marriage with them (v. 55).
4. The Muslims were told that the wives of the Prophet were prohibited for them just like their own
real mothers; therefore every Muslim should regard them with the purest of intentions (v. 53, 54).
5. The Muslims were warned that they would invite the curse and scourge of God if they offended the
Prophet. Likewise it was a heinous sin to attack the honour of or slander any Muslim man or wom-
an (v. 57, -8).
6. All the Muslim women were enjoined to cover their faces with their sheets if and when they had to
go out of their houses (v. 59).
On the occasion of the second attack, this Surah was sent down to keep pure and strengthen the moral fibre
of the Muslim society, which had been shaken by the enormity of the slander. We give below a summary of
the Commandments and instructions in their chronological order so that one may understand how the
Qur'an makes use of the psychological occasion to reform the Community by the adoption of legal, moral
and social measures.
1. Fornication which had already been declared to be a social crime (4:15,16) was now made a criminal
offence and was to be punished with a hundred lashes.
2. It was enjoined to boycott the adulterous men and women and the Muslims were forbidden to have
any marriage relations with them.
3. The one, who accused the other of adultery but failed to produce four witnesses, was to be pu-
nished with eighty lashes.
4. The Law of Lian was prescribed to decide the charge of adultery against his own wife by a husband.
5. The Muslims were enjoined to learn a lesson from the incident of the "Slander" about A'isha, as if
to say, "You should be very cautious in regard to charges of adultery against the people of good
reputation, and should not spread these; nay, you should refute and suppress them immediately." In
this connection, a general principle was enunciated that the proper spouse for a pure man is a pure
woman, for he cannot pull on with a wicked woman for long, and the same is the case with a pure
woman, as if to say, "When you knew that the Prophet was a pure man, nay, the purest of all hu-
man beings, how could you believe that he had experienced happiness with a wicked woman and
exalted her as the most beloved of his wives? For it was obvious that an adulterous woman could
not have been able to deceive, with her affected behavior, a pure man like the Prophet. You ought
also to have considered the fact that the accuser was a mean person while the accused was a pure
woman. This should have been enough to convince you that the accusation was not worth your
consideration; nay, it was not even conceivable.
6. Those who spread news and evil rumors and propagate wickedness in the Muslim Community, de-
serve punishment and not encouragement.
7. A general principle was laid down that relations in the Muslim Community should be based on
good faith and not on suspicion: everyone should be treated as innocent unless he is proved to be
guilty and vice versa.
8. The people were forbidden to enter the houses of others unceremoniously and were instructed to
take permission for this.
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9. Both men and women were instructed to lower their gaze and forbidden to cast glances or make
eyes at each other.
10. Women were enjoined to cover their heads and breasts even inside their houses.
11. Women were forbidden to appear with make-up before other men except their servants or such rel-
atives with whom their marriage is prohibited.
12. They were enjoined to hide their make-ups when they went out of their houses, and even forbidden
to put on jingling ornaments, while they moved out of their houses.
13. Marriage was encouraged and enjoined even for slaves and slave girls, for unmarried people help
spread indecency.
14. The institution of slavery was discouraged and the owners and other people were enjoined to give
financial help to the slaves to earn their freedom under the law of Mukatabat.
15. Prostitution by slave girls was forbidden in the first instance, for prostitution in Arabia was con-
fined to this class alone. This in fact implied the legal prohibition of prostitution.
1 6. Sanctity of privacy in home life was enjoined even for servants and under age children including
one's own. They were enjoined not to enter the private rooms of any man or woman without per-
mission; especially in the morning, at noon and at night.
17. Old women were given the concession that they could set aside their head covers within their hous-
es but should refrain from display of adornments. Even they were told that it was better for them
to keep themselves covered with head wrappers.
18. The blind, lame, crippled and sick persons were allowed to take any article of food from the houses
of other people without permission, for it was not to be treated like theft and cheating, which are
cognizable offenses.
19. On the other hand, the Muslims were encouraged to develop mutual relationships by taking their
meals together, and the nearest relatives and intimate friends were allowed to take their meals in
each other's house without any formal invitation. This was to produce mutual affection and sincere
relationships between them to counteract any future mischief. Side by side with these instructions,
clear signs of the Believers and the hypocrites were stated to enable every Muslim to discriminate
between the two. At the same time the Community was bound together by adopting disciplinary
measures in order to make it stronger and firmer than it was at the time so as to discourage the
enemies from creating mischief in it.
Above all, the most conspicuous thing about this discourse is that it is free from the bitterness which in-
evitably follows such shameful and absurd attacks. Instead of showing any wrath at this provocation, the
discourse prescribes some laws and regulations and enjoins reformative commandments and issues wise
instructions that were required at the time for the education and training of the Community. Incidentally,
this teaches us how to deal with such provocative mischiefs coolly, wisely and generously. At the same
time, it is a clear proof that this is not the word of Prophet Muhammad but of a Being Who is observing
all human conditions and affairs from the highest level, and guiding mankind without any personal preju-
dices, feelings and leanings. Had this been the word of the Prophet; there would have been at least some
tinge of natural bitterness in spite of his great generosity and forbearance, for it is but human that a noble
man naturally becomes enraged when his own honour is attacked in this mean manner.
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Surah 24: an-Nur 902
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. [This is] a surah which We have sent
down and made [that within it] obliga-
tory and revealed therein verses of clear
evidence that you might remember.
2. The [unmarried] woman or [unmarried]
man found guilty of sexual inter-
course 903 - lash each one of them with a
hundred lashes, 904 and do not be taken
by pity for them in the religion [i.e.,
Law] of God, 905 if you should believe in
God and the Last Day. And let a group
of the believers witness their punish-
ment.
3. The fornicator does not marry except a
[female] fornicator or polytheist, and
none marries her except a fornicator 906
or a polytheist, and that [i.e., marriage
to such persons] has been made unlaw-
ful to the believers.
4. And those who accuse chaste women
and then do not produce four witnesses
- lash them with eighty lashes and do
not accept from them testimony ever
after. And those are the defiantly dis-
obedient,
902 An-Nur. Light.
903 Either by voluntary confession by the offender
or the testimony of four male witnesses to having
actually seen the act take place. Otherwise, there
can be no conviction.
904 The ruling in this verse is applicable to unmar-
ried fornicators. Execution by stoning is con-
firmed in the sunnah for convicted adulterers.
905 i.e., Do not let sympathy for a guilty person
move you to alter anything ordained by God, for
His law is protection for society as a whole.
906 Included in this ruling is the adulterer as well.
Such persons cannot be married to believers un-
less they have repented and reformed.
10.
11.
Except for those who repent thereafter
and reform, for indeed, God is Forgiv-
ing and Merciful.
And those who accuse their wives [of
adultery] and have no witnesses except
themselves - then the witness of one of
them 907 [shall be] four testimonies
[swearing] by God that indeed, he is of
the truthful.
And the fifth [oath will be] that the
curse of God be upon him if he should
be among the liars.
But it will prevent punishment from her
if she gives four testimonies [swearing]
by God that indeed, he is of the liars.
And the fifth [oath will be] that the
wrath of God be upon her if he was of
the truthful.
And if not for the favor of God upon
you and His mercy... 908 and because
God is Accepting of repentance and
Wise.
Indeed, those who came with false-
hood 909 are a group among you. Do not
think it bad for you; rather it is good for
you. For every person among them is
what [punishment] he has earned from
the sin, and he who took upon himself
the greater portion thereof 91(l - for him
is a great punishment [i.e., Hellfire].
907 The husbands have been betrayed.
908 The phrase omitted is estimated to be "...you
would surely have been punished, destroyed or
scandalized," or "...you would have suffered
many difficult situations."
909 Referring to the incident when the Prophet's
wife 'A'isha was falsely accused by the hypocrites.
910 i.e., 'Abdullah bin 'Ubayy, leader of the hypo-
crites.
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12. Why, when you heard it, did not the
believing men and believing women
think good of themselves [i.e., one
another] and say, 'This is an obvious
falsehood"?
13. Why did they [who slandered] not pro-
duce for it four witnesses? And when
they do not produce the witnesses, then
it is they, in the sight of God, who are
the liars.
14. And if it had not been for the favor of
God upon you and His mercy in this
world and the Hereafter, you would
have been touched for that [lie] in
which you were involved by a great pu-
nishment
15. When you received it with your ton-
gues 911 and said with your mouths that
of which you had no knowledge and
thought it was insignificant while it was,
in the sight of God, tremendous.
16. And why, when you heard it, did you
not say, "It is not for us to speak of
this. Exalted are You, [O God]; this is a
great slander"?
17. God warns you against returning to the
likes of this [conduct], ever, if you
should be believers.
18. And God makes clear to you the verses
[i.e., His rulings], and God is Knowing
and Wise.
19. Indeed, those who like that immorali-
ty 912 should be spread [or publici2ed]
among those who have believed will
have a painful punishment in this world
and the Hereafter. And God knows 913
and you do not know.
20. And if it had not been for the favor of
God upon you and His mercy... 914 and
because God is Kind and Merciful.
21. O you who have believed, do not fol-
low the footsteps of Satan. And whoev-
er follows the footsteps of Satan - in-
deed, he enjoins immorality and wrong-
doing. And if not for the favor of God
upon you and His mercy, not one of
you would have been pure, ever, but
God purifies whom He wills, and God
is Hearing and Knowing.
22. And let not those of virtue among you
and wealth swear not to give [aid] to
their relatives and the needy and the
emigrants for the cause of God, and let
them pardon and overlook. Would you
not like that God should forgive you?
And God is Forgiving and Merciful.
23. Indeed, those who [falsely] accuse
chaste, unaware and believing women
are cursed in this world and the Hereaf-
ter; and they will have a great punish-
ment
24. On a Day when their tongues, their
hands and their feet will bear witness
against them as to what they used to do.
25. That Day, God will pay them in full
their true [i.e., deserved] recompense,
and they will know that it is God who is
the manifest Truth [i.e., perfect in jus-
tice].
26. Evil words are for evil men, and evil
men are [subjected] to evil words. And
911 Rather than your ears, i.e., not thinking about
what you had heard but hastening to repeat it
carelessly.
912 Specifically, unlawful sexual relations.
913 The hidden aspects of all things: what is bene-
ficial and what is harmful.
914 See footnote to verse 10.
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good words are for good men, and
good men are [an object] of good
words. 915 Those [good people] are de-
clared innocent of what they [i.e., slan-
derers] say. For them is forgiveness and
noble provision.
27. O you who have believed, do not enter
houses other than your own houses un-
til you ascertain welcome and greet 916
their inhabitants. That is best for you;
perhaps you will be reminded [i.e., ad-
vised] .
28. And if you do not find anyone therein,
do not enter them until permission has
been given you. And if it is said to you,
"Go back," 917 then go back; it is purer
for you. And God is Knowing of what
you do.
29. There is no blame upon you for enter-
ing houses not inhabited in which there
is convenience 918 for you. And God
knows what you reveal and what you
conceal.
30. Tell the believing men to reduce [some]
of their vision 919 and guard their private
parts. 920 That is purer for them. Indeed,
God is Acquainted with what they do.
915 Another accepted interpretation is "Evil wom-
en are for evil men, and evil men are for evil
women. And good women are for good men, and
good men are for good women."
916 By the words "As-saldniu 'alaykum" ("Peace be
upon you").
917 Or a similar expression showing that the oc-
cupants are not prepared to receive visitors
(which should be respected).
918 Some benefit such as rest, shelter, commodi-
ties, one's personal belongings, etc.
919 Looking only at what is lawful and averting
their eyes from what is unlawful.
920 p rom being seen and from unlawful acts.
3 1 . And tell the believing women to reduce
[some] of their vision 921 and guard their
private parts and not expose their
adornment 922 except that which [neces-
sarily] appears thereof 923 and to wrap [a
portion of] their headcovers over their
chests and not expose their adornment
[i.e., beauty] except to their husbands,
their fathers, their husbands' fathers,
their sons, their husbands' sons, their
brothers, their brothers' sons, their sis-
ters' sons, their women, that which their
right hands possess [i.e., slaves], or
those male attendants having no physi-
cal desire, 924 or children who are not yet
aware of the private aspects of women.
And let them not stamp their feet to
make known what they conceal of their
adornment. And turn to God in repen-
tance, all of you, O believers, that you
might succeed.
32. And marry the unmarried among you
and the righteous among your male
slaves and female slaves. If they should
be poor, God will enrich them from
His bounty, and God is all-
Encompassing and Knowing.
33. But let them who find not [the means
for] marriage abstain [from sexual rela-
tions] until God enriches them from
His bounty. And those who seek a con-
tract [for eventual emancipation] from
among whom your right hands pos-
921 Looking only at what is lawful and averting
their eyes from what is unlawful.
922 Both natural beauty, such as hair or body
shape, and that with which a woman beautifies
herself of clothing, jewelry, etc.
923 i.e., the outer garments or whatever might
appear out of necessity, such as a part of the face
or the hands.
924 Referring to an abnormal condition in which a
man is devoid of sexual feeling.
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sess 925 - then make a contract with them
if you know there is within them good-
ness and give them from the wealth of
God which He has given you. And do
not compel your slave girls to prostitu-
tion, if they desire chastity, to seek [the-
reby] the temporary interests of worldly
life. And if someone should compel
them, then indeed, God is [to them], af-
ter their compulsion, Forgiving and
Merciful.
34. And We have certainly sent down to
you distinct verses 926 and examples
from those who passed on before you
and an admonition for those who fear
God.
35. God is the Light 927 of the heavens and
the earth. The example of His light 928 is
like a niche within which is a lamp, 929
the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it
were a pearly [white] star lit from [the
oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the
east nor of the west, whose oil would
almost glow even if untouched by fire.
Light upon light. God guides to His
light whom He wills. And God presents
examples for the people, and God is
Knowing of all things.
36. [Such niches are] in houses [i.e., mos-
ques] which God has ordered to be
raised and that His name be mentioned
[i.e., praised] therein; exalting Him with-
925 i.e., those slaves who desire to purchase their
freedom from their owners for a price agreed
upon by both.
926 i.e., rulings and ordinances, in particular those
in this Surah.
927 i.e., the source and bestower of light and en-
lightenment.
928 His guidance in the heart of a believing ser-
vant.
929 Literally, "a burning wick," which is the es-
sence of a lamp.
in them in the morning and the even-
ings 930
37. [Are] men whom neither commerce nor
sale distracts from the remembrance of
God and performance of prayer and
giving of 2akah. They fear a Day in
which the hearts and eyes will [fearfully]
turn about -
38. That God may reward them [according
to] the best of what they did and in-
crease them from His bounty. And God
gives provision to whom He wills with-
out account [i.e., limit],
39. But those who disbelieved - their deeds
are like a mirage in a lowland which a
thirsty one thinks is water until, when
he comes to it, he finds it is nothing but
finds God before Him, and He will pay
him in full his due; and God is swift in
account.
40. Or [they are] like darknesses within an
unfathomable sea which is covered by
waves, upon which are waves, over
which are clouds - darknesses, some of
them upon others. When one puts out
his hand [therein], he can hardly see it.
And he to whom God has not granted
light - for him there is no light.
41. Do you not see that God is exalted by
whomever is within the heavens and the
earth and [by] the birds with wings
spread [in flight]? Each [of them] has
known his [means of] prayer and exalt-
ing [Him], and God is Knowing of what
they do.
42. And to God belongs the dominion of
the heavens and the earth, and to God
is the destination.
930 The term used here can refer to either after-
noon or evening.
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43. Do you not see that God drives clouds?
Then He brings them together, then He
makes them into a mass, and you see
the rain emerge from within it. And He
sends down from the sky, mountains
[of clouds] within which is hail, and He
strikes with it whom He wills and averts
it from whom He wills. The flash of its
lightening almost takes away the eye-
sight.
44. God alternates the night and the day.
Indeed in that is a lesson for those who
have vision.
45. God has created every piving] creature
from water. And of them are those that
move on their bellies, and of them are
those that walk on two legs, and of
them are those that walk on four. God
creates what He wills. Indeed, God is
over all things competent.
46. We have certainly sent down distinct
verses. And God guides whom He wills
to a straight path.
47. But they [i.e., the hypocrites] say, "We
have believed in God and in the Mes-
senger, and we obey"; then a party of
them turns away after that. And those
are not believers.
48. And when they are called to [the words
of] God and His Messenger to judge
between them, at once a party of them
turns aside [in refusal] .
49. But if the right is theirs, they come to
him in prompt obedience.
50. Is there disease in their hearts? Or have
they doubted? Or do they fear that God
will be unjust to them, or His Messen-
ger? Rather, it is they who are the
wrongdoers [i.e., the unjust].
51. The only statement of the [true] believ-
ers when they are called to God and His
Messenger to judge between them is
that they say, "We hear and we obey."
And those are the successful.
52. And whoever obeys God and His Mes-
senger and fears God and is conscious
of Him - it is those who are the attain-
ers.
53. And they swear by God their strongest
oaths that if you ordered them, they
would go forth [in God's cause]. Say,
"Do not swear. [Such] obedience is
known. 931 Indeed, God is Acquainted
with that which you do."
54. Say, "Obey God and obey the Messen-
ger; but if you turn away - then upon
him is only that [duty] with which he
has been charged, and upon you is that
with which you have been charged. And
if you obey him, you will be [rightly]
guided. And there is not upon the Mes-
senger except the [responsibility for]
clear notification."
55. God has promised those who have be-
lieved among you and done righteous
deeds that He will surely grant them
succession [to authority] upon the earth
just as He granted it to those before
them and that He will surely establish
for them [therein] their religion which
He has preferred for them and that He
will surely substitute for them, after
their fear, security, [for] they worship
Me, not associating anything with Me.
But whoever disbelieves 932 after that -
then those are the defiantly disobedient.
931 i.e., the hypocrites' pretense of obedience is
known to be a lie.
932 i.e., denies the favour of God or does not live
by His ordinance.
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56. And establish prayer and give zakah and
obey the Messenger - that you may re-
ceive mercy.
57. Never think that the disbelievers are
causing failure [to God] upon the earth.
Their refuge will be the Fire - and how
wretched the destination.
58. O you who have believed, let those
whom your right hands possess and
those who have not [yet] reached pu-
berty among you ask permission of you
[before entering] at three times: before
the dawn prayer and when you put
aside your clothing [for rest] at noon
and after the night prayer. [These are]
three times of privacy 933 for you. There
is no blame upon you nor upon them
beyond these [periods], for they conti-
nually circulate among you - some of
you, among others. Thus does God
make clear to you the verses [i.e., His
ordinances]; and God is Knowing and
Wise.
59. And when the children among you
reach puberty, let them ask permission
[at all times] as those before them have
done. Thus does God make clear to you
His verses; and God is Knowing and
Wise.
62.
your [own] houses or the houses of
your fathers or the houses of your
mothers or the houses of your brothers
or the houses of your sisters or the
houses of your fathers' brothers or the
houses of your fathers' sisters or the
houses of your mothers' brothers or the
houses of your mothers' sisters or [from
houses] whose keys you possess or
[from the house] of your friend. There
is no blame upon you whether you eat
together or separately. But when you
enter houses, give greetings of peace 934
upon each other - a greeting from God,
blessed and good. Thus does God make
clear to you the verses [of ordinance]
that you may understand.
The believers are only those who be-
lieve in God and His Messenger and,
when they are [meeting] with him for a
matter of common interest, do not de-
part until they have asked his permis-
sion. Indeed, those who ask your per-
mission, [O Muhammad] - those are the
ones who believe in God and His Mes-
senger. So when they ask your permis-
sion for something of their affairs, then
give permission to whom you will
among them and ask forgiveness for
them of God. Indeed, God is Forgiving
and Merciful.
60. And women of post-menstrual age who
have no desire for marriage - there is no
blame upon them for putting aside their
outer garments [but] not displaying
adornment. But to modesdy refrain
[from that] is better for them. And God
is Hearing and Knowing.
61. There is not upon the blind [any] con-
straint nor upon the lame [any] con-
straint nor upon the ill [any] constraint
nor upon yourselves if you eat from
' Literally, "exposure" or "being uncovered.'
63. Do not make [your] calling of the Mes-
senger among yourselves as the call of
one of you to another. Already God
knows those of you who slip away,
concealed by others. So let those be-
ware who dissent from his [i.e., the
Prophet's] order, 935 lest fitnah 936 strike
them or a painful punishment.
934 Saying, "As-saldmu 'alaykum" ("Peace be upon
you").
935 Meaning also his way or his sunnah.
936 Trials, affliction, dissension, strife, etc.
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64. Unquestionably, to God belongs what-
ever is in the heavens and earth. Al-
ready He knows that upon which you
[stand] 937 and [knows] the Day 938 when
they will be returned to Him and He
will inform them of what they have
done. And God is Knowing of all
things.
937 i.e., your position — the basis for your actions
(whether sincere faith or hypocrisy) and the con-
dition of your souls.
938 The meaning can also be rendered "...and [let
them beware of] the Day. . ."
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Surah 25: al- Furqan
Period of Revelation
It appears from its style and subject matter that like Surah al-Mu'minun it was also revealed during the third
stage of Prophethood at Makkah. Ibn Jarir and Imam Razi have cited a tradition of Dahhak bin Muzahim
that this Surah was revealed eight years before Surah 4: an-Nisa.
Subject Matter and Topics
The Surah deals with the doubts and objections that were being raised against the Qur'an, the Prophethood
of Muhammad and his teachings by the disbelievers of Makkah. Appropriate answers to each and every ob-
jection have been given and the people have been warned of the consequences of rejecting the Truth. At the
end of the Surah a clear picture of the moral superiority of the Believers has been depicted as in the begin-
ning of Surah al-Mu'minun as if to say 'Here is the criterion for distinguishing the genuine from the counter-
feit. This is the noble character of those people who have believed in and followed the teachings of the
Prophet and this is the kind of people that he is trying to train. You may yourselves compare and contrast
this type of people with those Arabs who have not as yet accepted the Message and who are upholding "ig-
norance" and exerting their utmost to defeat the Truth. Now you may judge for yourselves as to which you
would like to choose." Though this question was not posed in so many words it was placed before every one
in Arabia in a tangible shape. It may be noted that during the next few years the practical answer given to this
question by the whole nation with the exception of a small minority was that they chose Islam.
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Surah 25: al- Furqan 939
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. Blessed is He who sent down the Crite-
rion upon His Servant that he may be
to the worlds a warner -
2. He to whom belongs the dominion of
the heavens and the earth and who has
not taken a son and has not had a part-
ner in dominion and has created each
thing and determined it with [precise]
determination.
3. But they have taken besides Him gods
which create nothing, while they are
created, and possess not for themselves
any harm or benefit and possess not
[power to cause] death or life or resur-
rection.
4. And those who disbelieve say, "This
[Qur'an] is not except a falsehood he
invented, and another people assisted
him in it." But they have committed an
injustice and a lie.
5. And they say, "Legends of the former
peoples which he has written down,
and they are dictated to him morning
and afternoon."
6. Say, [O Muhammad], "It has been re-
vealed by He who knows [every] secret
within the heavens and the earth. In-
deed, He is ever Forgiving and Merci-
ful."
7. And they say, "What is this messenger
that eats food and walks in the mar-
kets? Why was there not sent down to
him an angel so he would be with him a
warner?
8. Or [why is not] a treasure presented to
him [from heaven], or does he [not]
have a garden from which he eats?"
And the wrongdoers say, "You follow
not but a man affected by magic."
9. Look how they strike for you compari-
sons; 940 but they have strayed, so they
cannot [find] a way.
10. Blessed is He who, if He willed, could
have made for you [something] better
than that - gardens beneath which riv-
ers flow - and could make for you pa-
laces.
1 1 . But they have denied the Hour, and We
have prepared for those who deny the
Hour a Bla2e.
12. When it [i.e., the Hellfire] sees them
from a distant place, they will hear its
fury and roaring.
13. And when they are thrown into a nar-
row place therein bound in chains, they
will cry out thereupon for destruction.
14. [They will be told], "Do not cry this
Day for one destruction but cry for
much destruction."
15. Say, "Is that better or the Garden of
Eternity which is promised to the righ-
teous? It will be for them a reward and
destination.
16. For them therein is whatever they wish,
[while] abiding eternally. It is ever upon
939 yAl-Vurqdn; The Criterion, which is another
name for the Qur'an and means "that which dis-
tinguishes truth from falsehood and right from
wrong."
940 p r0 m their own imaginations in order to deny
and discredit you.
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your Lord a promise [worthy to be] re-
quested. 941
17. And [mention] the Day He will gather
them and that which they worship be-
sides God and will say, "Did you mis-
lead these, My servants, or did they
[themselves] stray from the way?"
1 8. They will say, "Exalted are You! It was
not for us to take besides You any allies
[i.e., protectors]. But You provided
comforts for them and their fathers un-
til they forgot the message and became
a people ruined."
19. So they will deny you, [disbelievers], in
what you say, 942 and you cannot avert
[punishment] or [find] help. And
whoever commits injustice 943 among
you - We will make him taste a great
punishment.
20. And We did not send before you, [O
Muhammad], any of the messengers
except that they ate food and walked in
the markets. And We have made some
of you [people] as trial for others - will
you have patience? And ever is your
Lord, Seeing.
21. And those who do not expect the
meeting with Us say, "Why were not
angels sent down to us, or [why] do we
[not] see our Lord?" They have certain-
ly become arrogant within them-
selves 944 and [become] insolent with
great insolence.
22. The day they see the angels 945 - no
good tidings will there be that day for
the criminals, and [the angels] will say,
"Prevented and inaccessible." 946
23. And We will approach [i.e., regard] 947
what they have done of deeds and
make them as dust dispersed.
24. The companions of Paradise, that Day,
are [in] a better settlement and better
resting place.
25. And [mention] the Day when the hea-
ven will split open with [emerging]
clouds, 948 and the angels will be sent
down in successive descent.
26. True sovereignty, that Day, is for the
Most Merciful. And it will be upon the
disbelievers a difficult Day.
27. And the Day the wrongdoer will bite
on his hands [in regret] he will say,
"Oh, I wish I had taken with the Mes-
senger a way. 949
28. Oh, woe to me! I wish I had not taken
that one 950 as a friend.
29. He led me away from the remem-
brance 951 after it had come to me. And
ever is Satan, to man, a deserter." 952
30. And the Messenger has said, "O my
Lord, indeed my people have taken this
Qur'an as [a thing] abandoned." 953
941 Q r " a promise requested [for them by the
angels]."
942 At the time of Judgement the false objects of
worship will betray their worshippers and deny
them.
943 Specifically, association of others with God.
944 Additional meaning are "among themselves"
and "over [the matter of] themselves."
945 i.e., at the time of death.
946 Referring to any good tidings.
947 On the Day of Judgement.
948 Within which are the angels.
949 i.e., followed the Prophet on a path of guid-
ance.
950 The person who misguided him.
951 i.e., the Qur'an or the remembrance of God.
952 Forsaking him once he has led him into evil.
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31. And thus have We made for every
prophet an enemy from among the
criminals. But sufficient is your Lord as
a guide and a helper.
32. And those who disbelieve say, "Why
was the Qur'an not revealed to him all
at once?" Thus [it is] that We may
strengthen thereby your heart. And We
have spaced it distincdy. 954
33. And they do not come to you with an
example [i.e., argument] except that We
bring you the truth and the best expla-
nation.
34. The ones who are gathered on their
faces to Hell - those are the worst in
position and farthest astray in [their]
way.
35. And We had certainly given Moses the
Scripture and appointed with him his
brother Aaron as an assistant.
36. And We said, "Go both of you to the
people who have denied Our signs."
Then We destroyed them with [com-
plete] destruction.
37. And the people of Noah - when they
denied the messengers, 955 We drowned
them, and We made them for mankind
a sign. And We have prepared for the
wrongdoers a painful punishment.
38. And [We destroyed] Aad and Thamud
and the companions of the well 956 and
many generations between them.
39. And for each We presented examples
[as warnings], and each We destroyed
with [total] destruction.
40. And they have already come upon the
town which was showered with a rain
of evil [i.e., stones]. So have they not
seen it? But they are not expecting re-
surrection. 957
41. And when they see you, [O Muham-
mad], they take you not except in ridi-
cule, [saying], "Is this the one whom
God has sent as a messenger?
42. He almost would have misled us from
our gods had we not been steadfast in
[worship of] them." But they are going
to know, when they see the punish-
ment, who is farthest astray in [his]
way.
43. Have you seen the one who takes as his
god his own desire? Then would you be
responsible for him?
44. Or do you think that most of them
hear or reason? They are not except like
livestock. 958 Rather, they are [even]
more astray in [their] way.
45. Have you not considered your Lord -
how He extends the shadow, and if He
willed. He could have made it statio-
953 i.e., avoiding it, not listening to or understand-
ing it, not living by it, or preferring something
else to it.
954 Also, "recited it with distinct recitation."
955 Their denial of Noah was as if they had denied
all those who brought the same message from
God.
956 Said to be a people who denied Prophet
Shu'ayb or possibly those mentioned in Surah Yd
Seen, 36:13-29.
957 So they do not benefit from lessons of the
past.
958 i.e., cattle or sheep, that follow without ques-
tion wherever they are led.
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nary? Then We made the sun for it an
indication. 959
them a barrier and prohibiting parti-
tion.
46. Then We hold it in hand for a brief
47.
48.
49.
50.
grasp. m >
And it is He who has made the night
for you as clothing 961 and sleep [a
means for] rest and has made the day a
resurrection. 962
And it is He who sends the winds as
good tidings before His mercy [i.e.,
rainfall], and We send down from the
sky pure water
That We may bring to life thereby a
dead land and give it as drink to those
We created of numerous livestock and
men.
And We have certainly distributed it
among them that they might be re-
minded, 963 but most of the people
refuse except disbelief.
51. And if We had willed, We could have
sent into every city a warner. 964
52. So do not obey the disbelievers, and
strive against them with it [i.e., the
Qur'an] a great striving.
53. And it is He who has released [simulta-
neously] the two seas [i.e., bodies of
water], one fresh and sweet and one
salty and bitter, and He placed between
959 i.e., showing the existence of a shadow or
making it apparent by contrast.
960 i.e., when the sun is overhead at noon.
961 Covering and concealing you in its darkness.
962 p or renewal of life and activity.
963 Of God's ability to bring the dead to life.
964 However, God willed that Prophet Muham-
mad be sent as the final messenger for all peoples
of the earth until the Day of Resurrection.
54. And it is He who has created from wa-
ter [i.e., semen] a human being and
made him [a relative by] lineage and
marriage. And ever is your Lord com-
petent [concerning creation],
55. But they worship rather than God that
which does not benefit them or harm
them, and the disbeliever is ever,
against his Lord, an assistant [to Satan],
56. And We have not sent you, [O Mu-
hammad], except as a bringer of good
tidings and a warner.
57. Say, "I do not ask of you for it any
payment - only that whoever wills
might take to his Lord a way."
58. And rely upon the Ever-Living who
does not die, and exalt [God] with His
praise. And sufficient is He to be, with
the sins of His servants, Acquainted -
59. He who created the heavens and the
earth and what is between them in six
days and then established Himself
above the Throne 965 - the Most Merci-
ful, so ask about Him one well in-
formed [i.e., the Prophet],
60. And when it is said to them, "Prostrate
to the Most Merciful," they say, "And
what is the Most Merciful? Should we
prostrate to that which you order us?"
And it increases them in aversion.
61. Blessed is He who has placed in the sky
great stars and placed therein a [burn-
ing] lamp and luminous moon.
965 See footnote to 2:19.
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62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
And it is He who has made the night
and the day in succession for whoever
desires to remember or desires grati-
tude.
And the servants of the Most Merciful
are those who walk upon the earth easi-
ly, 966 and when the ignorant address
them [harshly], they say [words of]
peace, 967
And those who spend [part of] the
night to their Lord prostrating and
standing [in prayer]
And those who say, "Our Lord, avert
from us the punishment of Hell. In-
deed, its punishment is ever adhering;
Indeed, it is evil as
residence."
settlement and
71. And he who repents and does righ-
teousness does indeed turn to God
with [accepted] repentance.
72. And [they are] those who do not testify
to falsehood, and when they pass near
ill speech, they pass by with dignity.
73. And those who, when reminded of the
verses of their Lord, do not fall upon
them deaf and blind.
74. And those who say, "Our Lord, grant
us from among our wives and offspring
comfort to our eyes 968 and make us a
leader [i.e., example] for the righteous."
75. Those will be awarded the Chamber 969
for what they patiently endured, and
they will be received therein with greet-
ings and [words of] peace,
67. And [they are] those who, when they
spend, do so not excessively or sparing-
ly but are ever, between that, [justly]
moderate
68. And those who do not invoke with
God another deity or kill the soul
which God has forbidden [to be killed],
except by right, and do not commit un-
lawful sexual intercourse. And whoever
should do that will meet a penalty.
76. Abiding eternally therein. Good is the
settlement and residence.
77. Say, "What would my Lord care for
you if not for your supplication?" 970
For you [disbelievers] have denied, so it
[i.e., your denial] is going to be adhe-
rent. 971
69. Multiplied for him is the punishment
on the Day of Resurrection, and he will
abide therein humiliated -
70. Except for those who repent, believe
and do righteous work. For them God
will replace their evil deeds with good.
And ever is God Forgiving and Merci-
ful.
966 i.e., gently, with dignity but without arrogance.
967 Q r "safety," i.e., words free from fault or evil.
968 i.e., a source of happiness due to their righ-
teousness.
969 The most elevated portion of Paradise.
970 i.e., faith and worship. An alternative meaning
is "What would my Lord do with you. . ."
971 It will remain with them, causing punishment
to be required and imperative upon them.
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Surah 26: ash- Shu'ara'
Period of Revelation
The subject matter and the style show, and the hadith confirm that it was revealed during the middle Makkan
period. According to Ibn Abbas, Surah Ta Ha was revealed first, then Surah al-Waqi'ah and then Surah ash-
Shu'ara'.
Subject Matter and Topics
The background of the Surah is that the disbelievers of Makkah were persistently refusing on one pretext or
the other to accept the message of Islam given by the Prophet. Sometimes they would say that he did not
show them any sign to convince them of his Prophethood; sometimes they would brand him as a poet or a
sorcerer and mock his message; and sometimes they would ridicule his Mission saying that his followers were
either a few foolish youth or the poor people and slaves. They argued that if his Mission had really some
value for the people the nobles and the elders would have accepted it first. Meanwhile on the one hand the
Prophet was becoming wearied by his efforts to show them rationally the errors of their creeds and prove the
truth of the Doctrines of Tawhid (Oneness of God) and the Hereafter, the disbelievers on the other were
never tired of adopting one kind of obduracy after the other. This state of affairs was causing great anguish
and grief to the Prophet. Such were the conditions when this Surah was revealed. It begins with words of
consolation to the Prophet implying, why do you fret for their sake? If these people have not believed in you
it is not because they have not seen any Sign but because they are stubborn. They will not listen to reason
and they want to see a Sign which makes them bow their heads in humility. When this Sign is shown in due
course of time they will themselves realize that what was being presented to them was the Truth.
After this introduction till verse 191 one and the same theme has been presented continuously and it is said:
"The whole earth abounds in such Signs as can guide a seeker after truth to Reality but the stubborn and
misguided people have never believed even after seeing the Signs whether these were the Signs of the natural
phenomena or the miracles of the Prophets. These wretched people have stubbornly adhered to their erro-
neous creeds till the Divine scourge actually overtook them." It is to illustrate this, that the history of seven
of the ancient tribes has been told who persisted in disbelief just like the disbelievers of Makkah. In this con-
nection the following points have been stressed:
1. The Signs are of two kinds:
a. Those which are scattered all over the earth and by seeing which an intelligent person can
judge for himself whether what the Prophet is presenting is the Truth or not and
b. Those which were seen by Pharaoh and his people, Noah's people, the people of Aad and
the Thamud, Lot's people and the people of Aiykah. Now it is for the disbelievers to de-
cide which kind of the Signs they are eager to see.
2. The mentality of the disbeliever has been the same throughout the ages; their arguments, their ob-
jections, their excuses and ploys for not believing have been similar and ultimately the fates that
they met have also been the same. Likewise the Prophets in every age presented the same teachings,
their personal character, their reasoning and arguments against their opponents were the same and
they were all similarly blessed with mercy by God Almighty. Both these patterns of behaviour and
conduct are found in history and the disbelievers could themselves see as to which respective pat-
terns they and the Prophet belonged.
3. God is All Mighty, All Powerful and All Merciful at the same time. History contains instances of
His Wrath as well as of His Mercy. Now therefore it is for the people to decide whether they would
like to deserve God's Merey or His Wrath.
4. Lastly the discussion has been summed up saying "O disbelievers if at all you want to see the Signs
why should you insist on seeing those horrible Signs that visited the doomed communities of the
past? Why don't you see the Qur'an which is being presented in your own language? Why don't you
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see Muhammad and his Companions? Can the revelations of the Qur'an be the work of a satan or a
Jinn? Does the recipient of the Qur'an appear to be a sorcerer? Are Muhammad and his Compa-
nions no different from a poet and his admirers? Why don't you give up disbelief and search your
hearts for their judgment? When in the heart of your hearts you yourselves believe that the Revela-
tions of the Qur'an have nothing in common with sorcery and poetry, then you should know that
you are being cruel and unjust, and will certainly meet the doom meant for the cruel and unjust."
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Surah 26: ash- Shu'ara' 972
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful
1. Ta, Seen, Meem. 973
2. These are the verses of the clear Book.
3. Perhaps, [O Muhammad], you would
kill yourself with grief that they will not
be believers.
4. If We willed, We could send down to
them from the sky a sign for which
their necks would remain humbled. 974
5. And no mention [i.e., revelation] comes
to them anew from the Most Merciful
except that they turn away from it.
6. For they have already denied, but there
will come to them the news of that
which they used to ridicule.
7. Did they not look at the earth - how
much We have produced therein from
every noble kind?
8. Indeed in that is a sign, but most of
them were not to be believers.
9 And indeed, your Lord - He is the Ex-
alted in Mght, the Merciful.
10. And [mention] when your Lord called
Moses, [saying], "Go to the wrong-
doing people -
11. The people of Pharaoh. Will they not
fear God?"
12. He said, "My Lord, indeed I fear that
they will deny me
13. And that my breast will tighten and my
tongue will not be fluent, so send for
Aaron.
14. And they have upon me a [claim due
to] sin, so I fear that they will kill me."
15. [God] said, "No. Go both of you with
Our signs; indeed, We are with you, lis-
tening.
16. Go to Pharaoh and say, 'We are the
messengers 975 of the Lord of the
worlds,
17. [Commanded to say], 'Send with us the
Children of Israel." ' "
18. [Pharaoh] said, "Did we not raise you
among us as a child, and you remained
among us for years of your life?
19. And [then] you did your deed which
you did, 976 and you were of the ungrate-
ful."
20. [Moses] said, "I did it, then, while I was
of those astray [i.e., ignorant],
21. So I fled from you when I feared you.
Then my Lord granted me judgement
[i.e., wisdom and prophethood] and
appointed me [as one] of the messen-
gers.
22. And is this a favor of which you re-
mind me - that you have enslaved the
Children of Israel?"
972 Ash- Shu'ara': The Poets.
973 See footnote to 2:1.
974 i.e., they would be compelled to believe.
975 -j^g singular form in Arabic indicates that
both were sent with a single message.
976 i.e., striking the Copt, who died as a result.
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23. Said Pharaoh, "And what is the Lord of
the worlds?"
24. [Moses] said, "The Lord of the heavens
and earth and that between them, if you
should be convinced."
25. [Pharaoh] said to those around him,
"Do you not hear?"
26. [Moses] said, "Your Lord and the Lord
of your first forefathers."
27. [Pharaoh] said, 977 "Indeed, your 'mes-
senger' who has been sent to you is
mad."
28. [Moses] said, "Lord of the east and the
west and that between them, if you
were to reason."
29. [Pharaoh] said, "If you take a God oth-
er than me, I will surely place you
among those imprisoned."
30. [Moses] said, "Even if I brought you
something [i.e., proof] manifest?"
31. [Pharaoh] said, "Then bring it, if you
should be of the truthful."
32. So [Moses] threw his staff, and sudden-
ly it was a serpent manifest. 978
33. And he drew out his hand; thereupon it
was white for the observers.
34. [Pharaoh] said to the eminent ones
around him, "Indeed, this is a learned
magician.
35. He wants to drive you out of your land
by his magic, so what do you advise?"
36. They said, "Postpone [the matter of]
him and his brother and send among
the cities gatherers
37. Who will bring you every learned,
skilled magician."
38. So the magicians were assembled for
the appointment of a well-known
day. 979
39. And it was said to the people, "Will you
congregate
40. That we might follow the magicians if
they are the predominant?"
41. And when the magicians arrived, they
said to Pharaoh, "Is there indeed for us
a reward if we are the predominant?"
42. He said, "Yes, and indeed, you will then
be of those near [to me]."
43. Moses said to them, "Throw whatever
you will throw."
44. So they threw their ropes and their
staffs and said, "By the might of Pha-
raoh, indeed it is we who are predomi-
nant."
45. Then Moses threw his staff, and at
once it devoured what they falsified.
46. So the magicians fell down in prostra-
tion [to God].
47. They said, "We have believed in the
Lord of the worlds,
48. The Lord of Moses and Aaron."
977 Angrily addressing those present.
978 i.e., clearly genuine.
979 i.e., the morning of the day of festival. See
20:58-59.
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49. [Pharaoh] said, "You believed him [i.e.,
Moses] before I gave you permission.
Indeed, he is your leader who has
taught you magic, but you are going to
know. I will surely cut off your hands
and your feet on opposite sides, and I
will surely crucify you all."
50. They said, "No harm. Indeed, to our
Lord we will return.
51. Indeed, we aspire that our Lord will
forgive us our sins because we were the
first of the believers."
52. And We inspired to Moses, "Travel by
night with My servants; indeed, you will
be pursued."
53. Then Pharaoh sent among the cities
gatherers 980
54. [And said], "Indeed, those are but a
small band,
55. And indeed, they are enraging us,
56. And indeed, we are a cautious socie-
ty...
57. So We removed them from gardens
and springs
58. And treasures and honourable station 981
61. And when the two companies saw one
another, the companions of Moses said,
"Indeed, we are to be overtaken!"
62. [Moses] said, "No! Indeed, with me is
my Lord; He will guide me."
63. Then We inspired to Moses, "Strike
with your staff the sea," and it parted,
and each portion was like a great tower-
ing mountain.
64. And We advanced thereto the others
[i.e., the pursuers].
65. And We saved Moses and those with
him, all together.
66. Then We drowned the others.
67. Indeed in that is a sign, but most of
them were not to be believers.
68. And indeed, your Lord - He is the Ex-
alted in Mght, the Merciful.
69. And recite to them the news of Abra-
ham,
70. When he said to his father and his
people, "What do you worship?"
71. They said, "We worship idols and re-
main to them devoted."
59. Thus. And We caused to inherit it the
Children of Israel.
60. So they pursued them at sunrise.
72. He said, "Do they hear you when you
supplicate?
73. Or do they benefit you, or do they
harm?"
980 Recruiters of an army to prevent the emigra-
tion of the Children of Israel.
981 God caused them to abandon their wealth and
property in pursuit of the Israelites.
74.
75.
They said, "But we found our fathers
doing thus."
He said, "Then do you see what you
have been worshipping,
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76. You and your ancient forefathers? 90.
77. Indeed, they are enemies to me, except
the Lord of the worlds, 982 9 1 .
78. Who created me, and He [it is who]
guides me. 92.
79. And it is He who feeds me and gives
me drink. 93.
80. And when I am ill, it is He who cures
me 94.
81. And who will cause me to die and then
bring me to life 95.
82. And who I aspire that He will forgive 96.
me my sin on the Day of Recom-
pense." 97.
83. [And he said], "My Lord, grant me au-
thority and join me with the righteous. 98.
84. And grant me a mention [i.e., reputa-
tion] of honour among later genera- 99.
tions.
And Paradise will be brought near [that
Day] to the righteous.
And Hellfire will be brought forth for
the deviators,
And it will be said to them, "Where are
those you used to worship
Other than God? Can they help you or
help themselves?"
So they will be overturned into it [i.e.,
Hellfire], they and the deviators
And the soldiers of Iblees, all together.
They will say while they dispute therein,
"By God, we were indeed in manifest
error
When we equated you with the Lord of
the worlds.
And no one misguided us except the
criminals.
85. And place me among the inheritors of
the Garden of Pleasure.
86. And forgive my father. Indeed, he has
been of those astray.
87. And do not disgrace me on the Day
they are [all] resurrected -
88. The Day when there will not benefit
[anyone] wealth or children
89. But only one who comes to God with a
sound heart."
100.
101.
102.
103.
104.
So now we have no intercessors
And not a devoted friend.
Then if we only had a return [to the
world] and could be of the believ-
ers.
"<)83
Indeed in that is a sign, but most of
them were not to be believers.
And indeed, your Lord - He is the Ex-
alted in Might, the Merciful.
105. The people of Noah denied the mes-
sengers 984
982 The people worshipped idols in addition to
God.
983 The conclusion of this verse is estimated as
". . .we would do this or that."
308
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26: The Poets
106. When their brother Noah said to them,
"Will you not fear God?
107. Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy mes-
senger.
108. So fear God and obey me.
109. And I do not ask you for it any pay-
ment. My payment is only from the
Lord of the worlds.
110. So fear God and obey me."
111. They said, "Should we believe you
while you are followed by the lowest
[class of people]?"
1 12. He said, "And what is my knowledge of
what they used to do?
113. Their account is only upon my Lord, if
you [could] perceive.
114. And I am not one to drive away the
believers.
115. I am only a clear warner."
116. They said, "If you do not desist, O
Noah, you will surely be of those who
are stoned."
117. He said, "My Lord, indeed my people
have denied me.
118. Then judge between me and them with
decisive judgement and save me and
those with me of the believers."
119. So We saved him and those with him in
the laden ship.
121. Indeed in that is a sign, but most of
them were not to be believers.
122. And indeed, your Lord - He is the Ex-
alted in Mght, the Merciful.
123. Aad denied the messengers
124. When their brother Hud said to them,
"Will you not fear God?
125. Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy mes-
senger.
126. So fear God and obey me.
127. And I do not ask you for it any pay-
ment. My payment is only from the
Lord of the worlds.
128. Do you construct on every elevation a
sign, 985 amusing yourselves,
129. And take for yourselves constructions
[i.e., places and fortresses] that you
might abide eternally?
130. And when you strike, you strike as ty-
rants.
131. So fear God and obey me.
132. And fear He who provided you with
that which you know,
133. Provided you with gra2ing livestock
and children
134. And gardens and springs.
135. Indeed, I fear for you the punishment
of a terrible day."
120. Then We drowned thereafter the re-
maining ones.
984 See footnote to 25:37.
985 i.e., a symbol or indication of their wealth and
— power. They used to build lofty structures along
the road to be seen by all those who passed by.
309
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26: The Poets
136. They said, "It is all the same to us
whether you advise or are not of the
advisors.
137. This is not but the custom of the for-
mer peoples,
138. And we are not to be punished."
139. And they denied him, so We destroyed
them. Indeed in that is a sign, but most
of them were not to be believers.
140. And indeed, your Lord - He is the Ex-
alted in Might, the Merciful.
141. Thamud denied the messengers
142. When their brother Salih said to them,
"Will you not fear God?
143. Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy mes-
senger.
144. So fear God and obey me.
145. And I do not ask you for it any pay-
ment. My payment is only from the
Lord of the worlds.
146. Will you be left in what is here, secure
[from death],
147. Within gardens and springs
148. And fields of crops and palm trees with
softened fruit?
149. And you carve out of the mountains,
homes, with skill.
150. So fear God and obey me.
151. And do not obey the order of the
transgressors,
152. Who cause corruption in the land and
do not amend."
153. They said, "You are only of those af-
fected by magic.
154. You are but a man like ourselves, so
bring a sign, if you should be of the
truthful."
155. He said, "This is a she-camel. 986 For her
is a [time of] drink, and for you is a
[time of] drink, [each] on a known day.
156. And do not touch her with harm, lest
you be seized by the punishment of a
terrible day."
157. But they hamstrung her and so became
regretful.
158. And the punishment seized them. In-
deed in that is a sign, but most of them
were not to be believers.
159. And indeed, your Lord - He is the Ex-
alted in Might, the Merciful.
160. The people of Lot denied the messen-
gers
161. When their brother Lot said to them,
"Will you not fear God?
1 62. Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy mes-
senger.
163. So fear God and obey me.
164. And I do not ask you for it any pay-
ment. My payment is only from the
Lord of the worlds.
165. Do you approach males among the
worlds 987
986 Miraculously sent to them as a sign by God.
310
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26: The Poets
166. And leave what your Lord has created
for you as mates? But you are a people
transgressing."
167. They said, "If you do not desist, O Lot,
you will surely be of those evicted."
168. He said, "Indeed, I am, toward your
deed, of those who detest [it].
169. My Lord, save me and my family from
[the consequence of] what they do."
170. So We saved him and his family, all,
171. Except an old woman 988 among those
who remained behind.
172. Then We destroyed the others.
173. And We rained upon them a rain [of
stones], and evil was the rain of those
who were warned.
180. And I do not ask you for it any pay-
ment. My payment is only from the
Lord of the worlds.
181. Give full measure and do not be of
those who cause loss.
182. And weigh with an even [i.e., honest]
balance.
1 83. And do not deprive people of their due
and do not commit abuse on earth,
spreading corruption.
184. And fear He who created you and the
former creation." 989
185. They said, "You are only of those af-
fected by magic.
186. You are but a man like ourselves, and
indeed, we think you are among the
liars.
174. Indeed in that is a sign, but most of
them were not to be believers.
175. And indeed, your Lord - He is the Ex-
alted in Mght, the Merciful.
176. The companions of the thicket [i.e., the
people of Madyan] denied the messen-
gers
177. When Shu'ayb said to them, "Will you
not fear God?
178. Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy mes-
senger.
179. So fear God and obey me.
987 i.e., Are there, out of all God's creatures, any
besides you who commit this unnatural act?
988 Lot's wife, who had collaborated with the
evildoers.
187. So cause to fall upon us fragments of
the sky, if you should be of the truth-
ful."
188. He said, "My Lord is most knowing of
what you do."
189. And they denied him, so the punish-
ment of the day of the black cloud
seized them. Indeed, it was the pu-
nishment of a terrible day.
190. Indeed in that is a sign, but most of
them were not to be believers.
191. And indeed, your Lord - He is the Ex-
alted in Mght, the Merciful.
192. And indeed, it [i.e., the Qur'an] is the
revelation of the Lord of the worlds.
i.e., previous generations.
311
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26: The Poets
193. The Trustworthy Spirit [i.e., Gabriel]
has brought it down
194. Upon your heart, [O Muhammad] -
that you may be of the warners -
195. In a clear Arabic language.
196. And indeed, it is [mentioned] in the
scriptures of former peoples.
197. And has it not been a sign to them that
it is recognized by the scholars of the
Children of Israel?
198. And even if We had revealed it to one
among the foreigners 990
199. And he had recited it to them [perfect-
ly], 991 they would [still] not have been
believers in it.
200. Thus have We inserted it [i.e., disbelief]
into the hearts of the criminals.
201 . They will not believe in it until they see
the painful punishment.
202. And it will come to them suddenly
while they perceive [it] not.
203. And they will say, "May we be re-
prieved?"
207. They would not be availed by the en-
joyment with which they were pro-
vided.
208. And We did not destroy any city except
that it had warners
209. As a reminder; and never have We been
unjust.
210. And the devils have not brought it [i.e.,
the revelation] down. 992
211. It is not allowable for them, nor would
they be able.
212. Indeed they, from [its] hearing, are re-
moved. 993
213. So do not invoke with God another
deity and [thus] be among the pu-
nished.
214. And warn, [O Muhammad], your clos-
est kindred.
215. And lower your wing [i.e., show kind-
ness] to those who follow you of the
believers.
216. And if they disobey you, then say, "In-
deed, I am disassociated from what you
are doing."
204. So for Our punishment are they impa-
tient?
217. And rely upon the Exalted in Might,
the Merciful,
205. Then have you considered if We gave
them enjoyment for years
206. And then there came to them that
which they were promised?
218. Who sees you when you arise 994
219. And your movement among those who
prostrate. 995
990 i.e., the non- Arabs or those who are not fluent
in the Arabic language.
991 As a miracle from God.
992 As was asserted by the disbelievers. Rather, it
was brought by Gabriel, the Trustworthy Spirit.
993 As mentioned in 72:9.
994 p rom your bed at night for prayer while you
are alone.
312
Surah 26: ash-Shu'ara' www.quranproject.org 26: The Poets
220. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Know-
ing.
221. Shall I inform you upon whom the de-
vils descend?
222. They descend upon every sinful liar.
223. They pass on what is heard, 996 and
most of them are liars.
224. And the poets - [only] the deviators
follow them;
225. Do you not see that in every valley they
roam 997
226. And that they say what they do not do?
227. Except those [poets] who believe and
do righteous deeds and remember God
often and defend [the Muslims] 998 after
they were wronged. And those who
have wronged are going to know to
what [kind of] return they will be re-
turned.
995 i.e., among those who pray with you in con-
gregation.
996 This was before they were prevented, as de-
scribed in 72:8-9.
997 Speaking lies indiscriminately and praising and
disparaging others according to whim.
998 By replying through poetry to the attacks of
hostile poets.
313
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Surah 27: an-Naml
Period of Revelation
The subject matter and the style bear full resemblance with the Surahs of the middle Makkan period and this
is supported by various hadith as well.
Theme and Topics
The Surah consists of two discourses, the first from the beginning of the Surah to the end of verse 58 and
the second from verse 59 to the end of the Surah. The theme of the first discourse is that only those people
can benefit from the guidance of the Qur'an and become worthy of the good promises made in it who ac-
cept the realities which this Book presents as the basic realities of the universe and then follow up their belief
with obedience and submission in their practical lives aswell. But the greatest hindrance for man to follow
this way is the denial of the Hereafter. For it makes him irresponsible, selfish and given to worldly life which
in turn makes it impossible for him to submit himself before God and to accept the moral restrictions on his
lusts and desires. After this introduction three types of character have been presented.
1. The first type is characterised by Pharoah, the chiefs of Thamud and the rebels of the people of Lot
who were all heedless of the accountability of the Hereafter and had consequently become the
slaves of the world. These people did not believe even after seeing the miracles. Rather they turned
against those who invited them to goodness and piety. They persisted in their evil ways which are
held in abhorrence by every sensible person. They did not heed the admonition even until a mo-
ment before they were overtaken by the scourge of God.
2. The second type of character is of the Prophet Solomon who had been blessed by God with
wealth, kingdom and grandeur to an extent undreamt of by the chiefs of the disbelievers of Mak-
kah. But since he regarded himself as answerable before God and had the feeling that whatever he
had was only due to God's bounty, he had adopted the attitude of obediance before Him and there
was no tinge of vanity in his character.
3. The third type is of the queen of Sheba who ruled over a most wealthy and well known people in
the history of Arabia. She possessed all those means of life which could cause a person to become
vain and conceited. Her wealth and possessions far exceeded the wealth and possessions of the Qu-
raysh. Then she professed Shirk (polytheism) which was 
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